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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Simeon respond when Jesus tells him about his dreams?

2. Who pronounces Abbot Joachim dead?

3. What does Jesus's mother recall as he passes her, carrying the cross that he built?

4. What does Andrew lecture Zebedee and the other men about?

5. What happens to Jesus in his dreams?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Jesus say to comfort the poor in Capernaum, who look to him for guidance?

2. What is the Curse?

3. What do Philip and Judas talk about after Judas leaves Capernaum?

4. How does Jesus's mother feel when she sees Jesus carrying the cross at the beginning of the novel?

5. Why does the mob chase Mary Magdalene to Capernaum?

6. What does Jesus wonder about his dreams?

7. What does Jesus do to defend Mary Magdalene in Capernaum?

8. What do Mary and Simeon talk about when he visits her in Chapter 5?

9. Why doesn't Jesus propose to Mary Magdalene?

10. How is Jesus described in Chapter 1?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Pontius Pilate dismisses Jesus as harmless, though there are others, such as Annas and Caiaphas, who feel that he is a revolutionary and a threat to Rome. Why isn't Pilate as concerned about Jesus as the others are? Why is Pilate initially reluctant to condemn Jesus? Why does he eventually comply with the others' wishes to crucify him, even though he doesn't see him as a threat? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 2

Mary Magdalene is an important character in "The Last Temptation of Christ." Why is her character so prominent, when she is merely a peripheral character in scripture? How is her relationship with Jesus in the novel different from their relationship in scripture? Why? How does her prominence, as a character, reflect on the events of Jesus's life? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 3

Kazantzakis portrays Jesus as a human being who experiences temptations, sin, and vice, and who is not always welcoming of God's will. How is this portrayal of Jesus different from the way he is depicted in scripture and other religious writings? Why do you think Kazantzakis chose to portray Jesus this way? What can we infer about Kazantzakis's opinion of the accuracy of scripture? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

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