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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What causes the Easter celebration to abruptly stop?
(a) The widow enters the church.
(b) A small child is killed.
(c) The monks flood into the church.
(d) A man starts screaming.

2. Who does Zorba say is having a sexual relationship with his student?
(a) Zaharia.
(b) Demetrios.
(c) Gavrili.
(d) Buddha.

3. Who publicly defends the accused and attempts to break up the mob which seeks justice for Pavli's death?
(a) Anagnosti.
(b) Zorba.
(c) Mimiko.
(d) The narrator.

4. Who challenges Zorba to a knife fight near the widow's garden?
(a) Mavrandoni.
(b) Manolakas.
(c) Pavli's ghost.
(d) Dimitri.

5. When he arrives in Candia, what news does the narrator receive?
(a) The widow was pregnant with his child when she died.
(b) His friend Stavridaki has died.
(c) His family is being held hostage.
(d) A new revolution has begun.

Short Answer Questions

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

2. What does Zorba say prompted him to quit the army?

3. After sleeping with the widow, what does the narrator realize?

4. Why does Pavli commit suicide?

5. For what do the villagers gather to watch in Chapter 20?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Anagnosti say that Pavli is blessed?

2. What does Zorba say about the act of crying when Madame Hortense dies?

3. In Chapter 16, what did the sleeping workmen do who when they heard Zorba playing his Santuri?

4. What does the narrator state is the reason for Zaharia's death?

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

6. Describe the incident that prompted the monastery icon's name to be changed from Our Lady of Mercy to Our Lady of Revenge.

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

8. What does Madame Hortense actually think of Zorba?

9. Describe what happened while Zorba was at war that changed his mind about judging a person based on nationality.

10. Describe the actions that follow after the widow enters the church at the Easter celebration.

Multiple Choice Answer Key

Short Answer Key

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

The widow.

2. What does Zorba say prompted him to quit the army?

Seeing the orphans of a priest he killed.

3. After sleeping with the widow, what does the narrator realize?

"The soul is flesh as well."

4. Why does Pavli commit suicide?

He was in love with someone not in love with him.

5. For what do the villagers gather to watch in Chapter 20?

Zorba celebrates the beginning of the railway construction.

Short Essay Answer Key

1. Why does Anagnosti say that Pavli is blessed?

Pavli commits suicide by drowning, and Anagnosti says that he is blessed because he is free from the object of his desire, the widow. Anagnosti claims that Pavli could not have lived happily with or without her because he had so much passion for her but now he is at peace.

2. What does Zorba say about the act of crying when Madame Hortense dies?

He says that he isn't ashamed to cry in front of men because of the unity they share. He says that crying in front of women is different because it is a man's job to prove his courage when before women.

3. In Chapter 16, what did the sleeping workmen do who when they heard Zorba playing his Santuri?

They got up, circled around him and began dancing to the music he played.

4. What does the narrator state is the reason for Zaharia's death?

The narrator says that Zaharia has fulfilled his main passion and purpose and has therefore accomplished everything that life would ask of him, so he can die.

5. 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.

6. Describe the incident that prompted the monastery icon's name to be changed from Our Lady of Mercy to Our Lady of Revenge.

In ancient times Algerians raided and set fire to the monastery. When they passed by the statue, it is said that she came to life, leaped down, and began stabbing the warriors with her spear until she had killed them all.

7. 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.

8. What does Madame Hortense actually think of Zorba?

Madame Hortense thinks Zorba will make a useful husband but does not think much of him above and beyond that role. She wishes also that he were as exciting and accomplished as her former lovers.

9. Describe what happened while Zorba was at war that changed his mind about judging a person based on nationality.

While at war, Zorba murdered a Bulgarian priest who had been invading Greek villages and killing Greeks. Later, when Zorba sees the orphans of the priest, he realizes that nationality doesn't matter. Rather, "good" and "bad" are the only important classifications to consider.

10. Describe the actions that follow after the widow enters the church at the Easter celebration.

Because the villagers blame the widow for Pavli's death, Manolakas leads a mob to the church when they discover that she is there. When she walks out of the church, the mob surrounds her and Mavrandoni blocks the door to keep her from going back in. The mob begins to throw stones at her, and several pull knives as well. Mavrandoni says it is his right to declare judgment and orders her to be killed. The narrator attempts to save her but trips on a rock. Zorba arrives and also attempts to save her. Momentarily, he does as he wrestles Manolakas away from her, but ultimately Mavrandoni cuts her head off.