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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does the narrator decide about the poetry he has always loved?
(a) It helped him get through his youth but is of little value now.
(b) It is a foundational part of his sophisticated world view.
(c) It is worthless and does not relate to the true human experience.
(d) It should be banned and removed from all libraries.

2. Which of her lovers' names does Madame Hortense's parrot repeat?
(a) Johnson.
(b) Nowacka.
(c) Baudrillard.
(d) Canavaro.

3. Why does Zorba tell the narrator not to preach equality of the sexes?
(a) He says it will disrupt the island's way of life without offering solutions for making it better.
(b) He says it is all lies anyway.
(c) He says that the people of Crete believe in equality of the sexes already.
(d) He says that Anagnosti will kill him if he does.

4. How does the narrator depict Madame Hortense?
(a) Witchy.
(b) Dangerous.
(c) Comically and unattractively.
(d) As intensely beautiful.

5. The narrator warn Zorba that such passions may lead to the removal of what body part?
(a) The achilles.
(b) The ears.
(c) The sexual organs.
(d) The brain.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who does Zorba blame for Madame Hortense's promiscuity?

2. In Chapter 3, what is the narrator reading when Zorba asks him to come in for lunch?

3. What does Zorba consider the act of dancing to be?

4. Who were Madame Hortense's four great loves?

5. What happens at the celebration in Chapter 5?

Short Essay Questions

1. When the narrator makes an attempt to get to know some of the mine workers, he begins to discuss socialism with them. Zorba does not like this. What are his reasons?

2. What feelings does Zorba express about religion?

3. How does the narrator reveal that he is like his grandfather?

4. How does the fact that Zorba is missing half of his finger relate to his connection between manliness and freedom?

5. Describe the narrator's relationship with his old friend.

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

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

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

9. What kinds of responsibilities does Zorba take on at the initiation of his friendship with the narrator.

10. Describe Zorba's only account of his heart being broken.

Multiple Choice Answer Key

Short Answer Key

1. Who does Zorba blame for Madame Hortense's promiscuity?

God.

2. In Chapter 3, what is the narrator reading when Zorba asks him to come in for lunch?

Dante.

3. What does Zorba consider the act of dancing to be?

Communication.

4. Who were Madame Hortense's four great loves?

Four admirals from England, France, Italy, Russia.

5. What happens at the celebration in Chapter 5?

The castration of pigs.

Short Essay Answer Key

1. When the narrator makes an attempt to get to know some of the mine workers, he begins to discuss socialism with them. Zorba does not like this. What are his reasons?

Zorba believes that supervising a workforce requires complete authority. He thinks it's better if they believe they have fewer rights and that workers who feel like they are equal to their bosses will eventually take rights away from their bosses.

2. What feelings does Zorba express about religion?

Zorba claims to be an atheist. However, when it comes to the other villagers, Zorba believes that religion is not only important but is the center of their way of life. He warns the narrator that speaking against religion to the villagers is not wise as it is better for them than having no organized structure at all.

3. How does the narrator reveal that he is like his grandfather?

He remembers his grandfather demanding that guests tell him their personal stories of adventure so that he could experience the thrill through their stories. This is similar to the narrator in that the adventures for both occur removed from the action and inside the head and ideas of the two.

4. How does the fact that Zorba is missing half of his finger relate to his connection between manliness and freedom?

Zorba says that he cut part of his finger off because it got in the way of making pottery. He argues that anything that gets in the way of man doing what he wants should be removed. Because it takes a great deal of physical and mental courage to remove a body part, the connection for Zorba is strong.

5. Describe the narrator's relationship with his old friend.

The narrator and his friend have a deep connection and love for one another. However, the connection is largely unspoken as the two men often argue rather than express emotion to one another. The soldier friend is more of an adventurer than the narrator, and often teases the narrator for being such a bookworm. The two men contrast one another; the narrator is more of a philosopher who is focused on a higher power, while the friend is a soldier who believes in living his life for his fellow man and his nation. The connection between the two men, despite their differences, is clear in their agreement to send mental messages to one another if they sense danger. This obviously indicates that they believe strongly in their connection and friendship.

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. 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.

8. 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.

9. What kinds of responsibilities does Zorba take on at the initiation of his friendship with the narrator.

Zorba agrees to act as foreman of the lignite mine. He also promises to cook the narrator soup and play him music on his santuri.

10. Describe Zorba's only account of his heart being broken.

Zorba met a woman named Noussa ten days after leaving the village of his previous lover. Noussa invited him to her house for a feast at which Zorba gave a toast. After this, the lights went out and a massive orgy began. He lost Noussa in the midst of the orgy but found her the next day, and they remained together for 6 months. She then eloped with a soldier and broke Zorba's heart.