This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What incident on the beach mellows the narrator's restlessness?
(a) He hears strange music.
(b) He sees a shooting star.
(c) He accidentally kills a butterfly.
(d) A horse and rider pass by.

2. Who does Zorba meet while in Candia?
(a) His long lost brother.
(b) A young woman.
(c) His former best friend.
(d) His ex-wife.

3. As the narrator gets to know the mine workers, what does he talk to them about?
(a) Socialist ideas.
(b) Religion.
(c) Women.
(d) Revolution.

4. What story does Anagnosti tell at the celebration?
(a) The tale of his birth.
(b) The ancient civilization of Crete.
(c) Noah's Ark.
(d) A love story.

5. How does Zorba believe a man should treat a woman?
(a) He should cook and clean for her.
(b) He should only spend time with her if he wants to marry her.
(c) He should tell her she's beautiful no matter what.
(d) He should lie to her about his other lovers.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Zorba say that his 80 year-old grandmother wanted?

2. How did Zorba temporarily keep track of his sexual relationships?

3. What act has Zorba performed that symbolizes the connection between freedom and manliness?

4. Although the narrator remains unnamed, what does Zorba call the narrator?

5. In Chapter 11, what does the narrator do when he sees the widow?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Zorba's version of God look like?

2. Describe the narrator's counter argument to Zorba's connection between manliness and freedom regarding his missing finger?

3. Describe Zorba's categories of marriage and how many of each he's experienced.

4. Do you think the narrator has actually lost all interest and faith in poetry as he claims in Chapter 12? How so?

5. Discuss the two goals that the narrator sets for himself at the end of Chapter 4? How is this a shift from the beginning of the story?

6. Describe the painting that Zorba presents to Madame Hortense.

7. When Zorba encourages the narrator to be more like he is and pursue the widow, how does this contradict Zorba's other advice?

8. What is Zorba's account of God's creation of woman?

9. How does the narrator's memory of the butterfly impact his feelings about approaching the widow?

10. What does Zorba represent in the story?

Multiple Choice Answer Key

Short Answer Key

1. What does Zorba say that his 80 year-old grandmother wanted?

She wanted to be serenaded.

2. How did Zorba temporarily keep track of his sexual relationships?

He cut off a lock of each lover's hair.

3. What act has Zorba performed that symbolizes the connection between freedom and manliness?

He cut part of his finger off because it got in the way of his pottery.

4. Although the narrator remains unnamed, what does Zorba call the narrator?

Boss.

5. In Chapter 11, what does the narrator do when he sees the widow?

Nothing. He is unable to approach her.

Short Essay Answer Key

1. What does Zorba's version of God look like?

Zorba claims to be an atheist, but he does tell the narrator that God is likely a more outrageous version of himself for whom forgiveness is not difficult, and who does not want to be worshiped.

2. Describe the narrator's counter argument to Zorba's connection between manliness and freedom regarding his missing finger?

The narrator argues that although such passions are admirable, they could also possibly lead to the desire to remove more crucial body parts. He suggests that Zorba might eventually want to remove his sexual organs, which would have a much more life-altering and drastic result.

3. Describe Zorba's categories of marriage and how many of each he's experienced.

Zorba says he's been married "honestly," "half-honestly," and "dishonestly." He says that he's been married "honestly" or legally only once. He says that he's been "half-honestly" married, or in relationships similar to marriage that were not made formal and legal with a wedding, two times. He says that he's been "dishonestly" married a thousand times, and by this he is referring to every sexual encounter he's ever had.

4. Do you think the narrator has actually lost all interest and faith in poetry as he claims in Chapter 12? How so?

No. When the narrator says of the Buddha, "I must mobilize words and their necromantic power...invoke magic rhythms; lay siege to him, cast a spell over him and drive him out of my entrails! I must throw over him the net of images, catch him and free myself!" he demonstrates a transformation in the way he sees poetry. He sees it less as contemplation and more as a physical act of using language. His use of the craft has changed, but it is untrue that he no longer has use for it as he so claims.

5. Discuss the two goals that the narrator sets for himself at the end of Chapter 4? How is this a shift from the beginning of the story?

The narrator wants to rid himself of Buddha and the abstract thinking that comes along with Buddha. He also wants to be completely present in the physical world of men. He has wanted to find this physicality since the beginning of the story when his old friend's words inspire him to seek such a life, and begin his journey to Crete. Originally, he was completely invested in philosophizing as well. However, the fact that he wants to exorcise Buddha from his thinking is a definite shift in his character.

6. Describe the painting that Zorba presents to Madame Hortense.

The painting has four huge battleships on it in red, gold, gray, and black, each with a flag from one of four countries: England, France, Italy, and Russia. Leading the battleship as a siren was Madame Hortense, naked with a yellow ribbon around her neck and holding four strings attached to the ships.

7. When Zorba encourages the narrator to be more like he is and pursue the widow, how does this contradict Zorba's other advice?

Previously, Zorba told a parable about a crow who tries to walk like a pigeon, reinforcing his idea that one must remain true to his true and individual identity. Zorba's disappointment with the narrator when he is unable to be the man of sensuality that Zorba is, contradicts this parable to some extent.

8. What is Zorba's account of God's creation of woman?

Zorba says that when God removed the rib from Adam, the devil turned into a snake and snatched the rib and ran off with it. God then chased the devil and caught him, but the devil ultimately got away while God was left holding only his horns. God then made woman out of the devil's horns rather than the rib of Adam.

9. How does the narrator's memory of the butterfly impact his feelings about approaching the widow?

The narrator had attempted to help the butterfly emerge from the cocoon by blowing warm air on it. Doing this made the butterfly emerge too quickly and die. The narrator realizes while meditating on this memory, that an individual must "confidently obey the eternal rhythm." He knows, in turn, that he can't speed his relationship with the widow and must let it unfold naturally.

10. What does Zorba represent in the story?

Zorba represents a man who lives for the physical world and ultimately for the individual self in that world. He is an agent of instinct and lacks theoretical reason for his actions. For the narrator, Zorba is a potential symbol of freedom in the narrator's quest to find freedom.