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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who does Zorba claim was Hortense's greatest lover?
(a) A Spanish admiral.
(b) Canavaro.
(c) Zorba.
(d) Pavli.

2. When she dies, who brings the officials to inventory Madame Hortense's belongings?
(a) Manolakas.
(b) Zorba.
(c) Anagnosti.
(d) Mavrandoni.

3. How does Zorba feel about the narrator's false promises made while Zorba was in Candia?
(a) He is so angry that he ends their friendship.
(b) He is extremely sad but willing to follow through.
(c) He is angry but willing to follow through on the promise.
(d) He is thrilled.

4. What does the narrator promise to binge on so that he no longer desires it?
(a) Food.
(b) Books.
(c) Women.
(d) Alcohol.

5. What do the narrator and Zorba do on Easter Sunday?
(a) Swim in the ocean.
(b) Make a feast for Madame Hortense.
(c) Walk into Candia.
(d) Make a feast for the village orphans.

Short Answer Questions

1. How do the negotiations over land between Zorba and the abbot begin?

2. Why does the narrator feel like he can forget about the Enlightened One?

3. Why does Pavli commit suicide?

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

5. How does the narrator respond to the bishop's theories on religion?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What story does Zorba tell in Chapter 20 that supports the theme that appearance creates reality?

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

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

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

6. 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?

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

8. What might be the significance of the narrator inheriting the Santuri?

9. Why does Zaharia say he became a monk?

10. How does the narrator describe eternity in Chapter 15?

Multiple Choice Answer Key

Short Answer Key

1. How do the negotiations over land between Zorba and the abbot begin?

The abbot tries to charge more money than agreed upon.

2. Why does the narrator feel like he can forget about the Enlightened One?

He has finished his Buddha Manuscript.

3. Why does Pavli commit suicide?

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

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

"The soul is flesh as well."

5. How does the narrator respond to the bishop's theories on religion?

"Those theories may save many souls."

Short Essay Answer Key

1. 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.

2. What story does Zorba tell in Chapter 20 that supports the theme that appearance creates reality?

Zorba tells a story in which his grandfather takes a piece of wood, calls it part of the True Cross, and declares that it will protect the soldier to whom he gifts it from all harm in battle. The soldier then becomes a brave and invincible warrior simply because he believes that he has nothing to fear.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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."

7. 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.

8. What might be the significance of the narrator inheriting the Santuri?

The Santuri, Zorba's musical instrument, was one of the symbols in the story of the expression of emotion outside of words. Zorba plays the Santuri in the story when he is happy. The fact that the story ends with the Santuri in the narrator's possession is an indication that he has grown closer to reaching his goal, that of a marriage between the body and spirit, and that he has attained some level of the sought after "freedom."

9. Why does Zaharia say he became a monk?

He says poverty led him to become a monk. He was hungry and knew that if he went into the monastery there would be no way he could starve.

10. How does the narrator describe eternity in Chapter 15?

He describes it as being each minute that passes.