Tough-O-Meter

(5) Tree Line

Kafka's story is a relatively easy read and hilarious to boot. There aren't any hard to understand philosophical passages or confusing plot twists. We're giving the story a 5 because, underneath its relative readability, the story explores a number of complex philosophical and moral questions. But you can still get a good chuckle out of the story even if you're not aware of this broader theoretical context.