Kafka on the Shore" by Haruki Murakami begins with an unnamed fifteen-year-old boy, later revealed to be Kafka Tamura, preparing to leave home. He packs a bag with essentials and a picture of his sister, whom he's never met. Kafka is determined to run away from his father and his cursed prophecy, which states that Kafka will kill his father and sleep with his mother and sister. Although Kafka does not want to believe in the prophecy, he cannot escape its weight and decides to leave home to avoid fulfilling it.
Kafka's internal monologue reveals that he is intelligent, well-read, and serious for his age. He has planned his escape carefully, withdrawing money from his father's bank account and mapping out a route to the southern Japanese city of Takamatsu. He seeks freedom and self-discovery, hoping to find answers to questions about his family and identity. He wants to live a life free from his father's influence and the curse that seems to overshadow his entire existence.