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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who do Zorba and the narrator meet as they climb the mountain?
(a) A patron saint.
(b) Pavli's ghost.
(c) Demetrios.
(d) Zaharia.

2. What happens to Gavrili in the night at the monastery?
(a) He thinks he hears God speaking to him.
(b) He is murdered by his lover.
(c) He is raped.
(d) He is held hostage by invaders.

3. What does Zorba invite his old boss to come and see in Chapter 26?
(a) His newborn son.
(b) His collection of musical instruments.
(c) A beautiful green stone.
(d) A clay nun much like the one they saw years earlier.

4. Who closes Hortense's eyes when she dies?
(a) The narrator.
(b) Zorba.
(c) Anagnosti.
(d) A priest.

5. Who does the narrator see as he is walking toward the village on Easter?
(a) Zorba.
(b) Madame Hortense.
(c) Buddha.
(d) The widow.

Short Answer Questions

1. What gift does Madame Hortense present to Zorba when he returns from the monastery?

2. Whose death is sought after to avenge Pavli's death?

3. In Chapter 16,what type of power does the narrator attempt to describe?

4. In Chapter 15, what does the narrator momentarily believe is his last obstacle to freedom?

5. In pleasing Madame Hortense, to whom does Zorba compare himself?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the narrator succeed in doing in Chapter 21 that Zorba could not?

2. What was Zaharia's inspiration for burning down the monastery?

3. What two major shifts happen to the narrator in Chapter 21? What major realization do these shifts spur in the narrator.

4. When writing letters to Madame Hortense, what does the narrator have to do?

5. Describe the monastery bishop's first theory on religion.

6. What evidence of artistic inspiration does the narrator find in the ruins of the old city? How does he feel when he sees it?

7. As the narrator watches Zorba comfort Madame Hortense on her death bed with the others eagerly awaiting her death, what does he compare the scene to?

8. Why do you think the narrator's good friend, the soldier, is not named until his death?

9. In his third theory of religion, what does the bishop give as God's reason for sending religion to the masses?

10. What does Zorba say about women when the narrator reveals that he has proposed to Madame Hortense on his behalf?

Multiple Choice Answer Key

Short Answer Key

1. What gift does Madame Hortense present to Zorba when he returns from the monastery?

A pair of wedding rings.

2. Whose death is sought after to avenge Pavli's death?

The widow.

3. In Chapter 16,what type of power does the narrator attempt to describe?

The power of the mind concentrated on one thing.

4. In Chapter 15, what does the narrator momentarily believe is his last obstacle to freedom?

Buddha.

5. In pleasing Madame Hortense, to whom does Zorba compare himself?

Zeus.

Short Essay Answer Key

1. What does the narrator succeed in doing in Chapter 21 that Zorba could not?

The narrator recognizes that Madame Hortense is seriously ill and takes care of her both mentally and physically. He mentally encourages her by reminding her of her wedding while physically bringing a doctor to attend to her. He uses Zorba's romantic speech tricks while conscientiously attending to her health as well. Zorba, on the other hand, is a successful romantic but not a responsible partner.

2. What was Zaharia's inspiration for burning down the monastery?

He says he was acting on a mission assigned to him by Archangel Michael. He acted, however, based on the knowledge he received from Zorba.

3. What two major shifts happen to the narrator in Chapter 21? What major realization do these shifts spur in the narrator.

The narrator finally sleeps with the widow, which Zorba has been encouraging him to do for some time. The narrator also finishes the Buddha Manuscript and with it, has the realization that he has exorcised the Buddha from himself. These two shifts make it clear to the narrator that "the soul is flesh as well," or in other words the actions of his body are just as important and spiritual as the meditating and thinking to which he is accustomed.

4. When writing letters to Madame Hortense, what does the narrator have to do?

The narrator must pretend he is Zorba. Therefore, he must take on Zorba's characteristics in his writings while looking for the best in Madame Hortense.

5. Describe the monastery bishop's first theory on religion.

He believes that the shape of a flower influences its color and its color then has an influence on its properties which in turn produce a specific effect on humans. He summarizes this theory with the belief that men should be careful when walking through fields of flowers because of the peculiar effects the flowers are having on them.

6. What evidence of artistic inspiration does the narrator find in the ruins of the old city? How does he feel when he sees it?

The narrator finds a partially finished jar carved from stone and a chisel on the ground nearby. This fills him with bitterness as he realizes the artistic inspiration has been defeated.

7. As the narrator watches Zorba comfort Madame Hortense on her death bed with the others eagerly awaiting her death, what does he compare the scene to?

The narrator first compares the scene to a huge exotic bird with a broken wing that has fallen and is dying on the beach, with all of the villagers standing around watching for entertainment. Then he compares Madame Hortense to other animals as well, like an "old angora cat" and "a sick old seal."

8. Why do you think the narrator's good friend, the soldier, is not named until his death?

It may be to emphasize the theme of the importance of human interaction and companionship. Just as the narrator is gaining the realization that human connection is essential, his friend dies and his friend's name is revealed. His friend has also fulfilled his passion, which was to serve his country. His name is then symbolically mythologized when it appears in the story.

9. In his third theory of religion, what does the bishop give as God's reason for sending religion to the masses?

He says that God sent religion as an act of mercy for the masses in order that they might experience living in "eternity." The bishop believes that only a few people on earth are able to live an eternity during their natural lives on earth.

10. What does Zorba say about women when the narrator reveals that he has proposed to Madame Hortense on his behalf?

Zorba says that women are delicate creatures and are unable to handle such jokes.