Virtually every fictional account of Christ's life has met with controversy among readers; hence, Kazantzakis's choice of a hero for his novel is bound to generate passionate discussion among readers regardless of their religious background. For those who adhere closely to Biblical accounts, the humanizing of the Son of God may seem sacrilegious; others will find in Kazantzakis's handling of the psychological dimensions of Christ's struggle to redeem humanity a scintillating example of self-sacrifice. Readers versed in modern philosophy, especially existentialism, will find in the work a complex analysis of the plight of all men struggling to make sense of life where science and philosophy have made it hard to cling to traditional religious values.

1. In the Prologue of the novel, Kazantzakis says his aim is to present the incessant struggle between "the flesh and the spirit." How does the format of the novel permit him...