Zorba the Greek (1947) by Nikos Kazantzakis whose character, Zorba, was often irresponsible, and even destructive, but in his crazy way defied, and even to some degree escaped, the confines of the human condition. In this case his heroic response to the human condition, involved despising and mocking the resigned structure, despite being part of it—he was, as we say, ‘larger than life’.