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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. Who summons the monks to hear Abbot Joachim's last words?

2. What does Jesus do when he has an obscene dream after seeing Mary Magdalene?

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

4. What kind of invisible animal does Jesus feel sinking its claws into his skull?

5. What does the rabbi tell Jesus, in Chapter 11?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Jesus described in Chapter 1?

2. What occurs between Judas, Zebedee, and Philip when they meet in Capernaum during the storm?

3. What unpleasant sensation does Jesus often experience?

4. What does Jesus tells Simeon at the end of Chapter 10?

5. What are Jesus's beliefs regarding the Messiah at the beginning of the novel?

6. Where does Jesus go in Chapter 6?

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

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

9. Why does Judas Iscariot visit Jesus at the beginning of the novel?

10. What does Jesus wonder about his dreams?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Israelites are being oppressed by the Romans, and some people resent Jesus's willingness to help those on both sides of the struggle. Why is he so willing to help his enemies? How do they repay him? How do they react when he helps them, or attempts to? What effect does his willingness to help his enemies have on his reputation? What does it say about his character? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 2

The angel with the green wings is the last one to tempt Jesus and shows him what he could have had if he had not chosen to follow the path God laid out for him. What effect does the angel's interference have on Jesus? How does it change Jesus's attitude toward the events of his life and his crucifixion? Who sent the angel? Why? What is its purpose? 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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