How old is Kafka when he decides to run away from home?

• A. 12
• B. 17
• C. 20
• D. 15

Answer: (D)

This tests understanding of a pivotal moment tied to Kafka’s age as he begins his flight from home. He is fifteen years old when he decides to run away. That specific age places him in a liminal space—old enough to make a bold, autonomous move, yet still tied to the uncertainties and pressures of adolescence. It signals a coming-of-age impulse, a break from a controlling, difficult environment, and a search for identity and freedom that drives much of the book’s momentum.

Staying within this age helps the story feel authentic to a teenager’s experience: it’s a time of questioning authority, testing boundaries, and stepping into the unknown. If he were younger, the act might read as impulsive childish rebellion without the same gravity; if older, the decisions and stakes would carry a different weight, altering the tone and the character dynamics. Fifteen is the moment that best aligns with the narrative’s rhythm and themes.