We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
(3) Base Camp
You probably aren't going to have any trouble with the language here since Carver doesn't put in too many (or really any) million-dollar words. That said, it's definitely hard to pin down what's happening at any given moment, and the perspective/timeline kind of switches up suddenly sometimes in ways that can be a little disorienting. Like the younger girl, you will end the story scratching your head wondering what just happened. But don't worry, that's totally normal and kind of seems to be the point of the whole story.