The Great Stone Face I and II

About the Author

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) was one of the GREATEST American writers of the 19th century. He is best known for his novel 'The Scarlet Letter.' Hawthorne's writing is DEEPLY ALLEGORICAL — his stories carry MULTIPLE LAYERS of meaning. He was fascinated by themes of SIN, REDEMPTION, MORALITY, and the HUMAN SOUL. 'The Great Stone Face' is one of his most INSPIRING stories — a simple but DEEPLY PHILOSOPHICAL tale about character, destiny, and BECOMING.

The Story (Part I)

The Setting — A Valley in the Mountains

In a QUIET VALLEY nestled among mountains, there is a REMARKABLE natural formation. The rocks on a mountainside form the outline of a HUMAN FACE — noble, kind, wise, and BENEVOLENT. The face looks down on the valley like a GUARDIAN. The local people have a PROPHECY: 'Some day, a CHILD will be born in this valley who will grow up to be the GREATEST and NOBLEST person of his time — and his face will look EXACTLY like the Great Stone Face.'

Ernest — The Boy Who Believes

ERNEST is a young boy living in the valley. He LOVES the Great Stone Face. Every day, he gazes at it. He DREAMS about the prophesied man. He BELIEVES with all his heart that one day, the prophecy will come true. 'His mother taught him that he should love the Great Stone Face. The boy would GAZE at it and think about the prophecy.'

The First Disappointment — Gathergold

A RICH man named GATHERGOLD returns to the valley after making his fortune in the city. The townspeople say: 'Surely THIS is the man. He is so SUCCESSFUL and WEALTHY.' But when Ernest looks at Gathergold, he sees NOTHING of the Stone Face. Gathergold's face is SHARP, GREEDY, and CUNNING. 'Ernest turned away from him with a SIGH. The man's face did not RESEMBLE the Great Stone Face at all.'

The Second Disappointment — General Blood-and-Thunder

A FAMOUS WAR HERO, GENERAL BLOOD-AND-THUNDER, visits the valley. The people CHEER. 'THIS must be the one!' But Ernest looks at the General's face — it is FIERCE, COMMANDING, and PROUD. The Great Stone Face is GENTLE and WISE. 'Ernest sighed AGAIN. This was NOT the man.'

The Third Disappointment — The Poet

A GREAT POET with a worldwide reputation arrives. He is KIND, INTELLIGENT, and WELL-MEANING. But even he is NOT the true likeness. 'The poet was GOOD — but he was not the STONE FACE. He lacked something — a DEPTH, a PERMANENCE, a goodness that went beyond WORDS.'

The Story (Part II)

The Passing Years

Years and DECADES pass. Ernest grows from a boy to a young man, then to a MIDDLE-AGED man, then to an ELDER. He never stops GAZING at the Great Stone Face. He never stops HOPING. The poet returns and also SEARCHES for the man of the prophecy. But no one is found.

The Revelation — Ernest Himself

One evening, the poet and the villagers are gathered on the mountainside. Ernest stands up to SPEAK. He talks about TRUTH, GOODNESS, and the POWER of nature. As he speaks, his face is illuminated by the SETTING SUN. The POET suddenly GASPS. He looks at Ernest. He looks at the Great Stone Face. They are IDENTICAL.

'Behold! Behold! Ernest is himself the LIKENESS of the Great Stone Face!'

Ernest had spent his whole life ADMIRING the Stone Face — and in doing so, he had BECOME it. His patience, his kindness, his wisdom, his unwavering faith — all of these had SCULPTED his face into the IMAGE of what he loved.

The Final Scene

Ernest humbly ACCEPTS the revelation. He does not BOAST. He does not PROCLAIM himself. He simply CONTINUES to live — patiently, kindly, wisely — as he had always done. 'And Ernest — still looking at the Great Stone Face — hoped that some wiser and BETTER man than himself would one day appear.'

Character Sketches

Ernest

• PATIENT: He waits his ENTIRE LIFE for the prophecy to come true.
• FAITHFUL: He never DOUBTS that the prophecy will be fulfilled.
• HUMBLE: Even at the END, when he IS the man, he hopes for SOMEONE BETTER to come.
• SELF-FULFILLING: His constant GAZING at the Stone Face literally MORPHS his character — and his features.
• SYMBOL: Every person who STRIVES to be BETTER by ADMIRING what is NOBLE.

Gathergold

• Represents MATERIALISM: wealth without soul.
• His face is SHARP and HARD — not NOBLE.
• The people are WRONG to think a RICH man is automatically GREAT.

General Blood-and-Thunder

• Represents MILITARY POWER: strength without kindness.
• Loud, PROUD, AGGRESSIVE — the OPPOSITE of the gentle Stone Face.
• Society's mistake: WORSHIPPING power instead of goodness.

The Poet

• Represents TALENT: art without quiet goodness.
• He is CLOSE to the Stone Face — but NOT identical.
• Shows that even GENIUS is not ENOUGH. Character MATTERS more.

Themes

Character is Destiny

We become what we ADMIRE. Ernest spends his life GAZING at the Great Stone Face — and he becomes it. 'Tell me who you ADMIRE — and I will tell you who you are BECOMING.'

The Inner vs The Outer

The true 'likeness' is not about physical FEATURES — it is about CHARACTER. Gathergold had money. The General had power. The poet had talent. But only Ernest had GOODNESS — and GOODNESS is what MATTERS.

Patience and Faith

Ernest waits DECADES. The prophecy takes a LIFETIME to fulfil. Hawthorne is telling us: GOOD THINGS come to those who WAIT — and who NEVER STOP striving.

The Prophecy Within

The prophecy is NOT about a STRANGER coming to the valley. It is about ERNEST all along. The deepest truth: the person we are waiting for is OURSELVES. 'We do not need to FIND our hero — we need to BECOME our hero.'

Literary Devices

Vocabulary with Meanings

Important Quotes

1. 'Ernest is himself the likeness of the Great Stone Face!' — The CLIMAX. The prophecy is fulfilled — but in a way NO ONE expected.

2. 'His mother taught him that he should love the Great Stone Face.' — The SEED of Ernest's greatness. Love and admiration BEGIN in childhood.

3. 'Behold! Behold! Ernest is himself the likeness!' — The poet's CRY of recognition. The ONE he was looking for was STANDING beside him all along.

4. 'And Ernest — still looking at the Great Stone Face — hoped that some wiser and better man than himself would one day appear.' — The final line. Ernest's HUMILITY is his greatest quality. Even when he IS the man, he does not KNOW it.

Exam-Focused Questions

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the Great Stone Face? Where is it located?
2. What is the PROPHECY about the Great Stone Face?
3. Why did Gathergold, the General, and the Poet FAIL to be the true likeness?
4. How did Ernest spend his childhood?
5. Who finally REALISES that Ernest is the true likeness?

Long Answer Questions

1. 'We become what we admire.' Discuss this theme in 'The Great Stone Face' with reference to Ernest's life journey.
2. Explain why Gathergold, General Blood-and-Thunder, and the Poet were each DISAPPOINTMENTS. What did each represent — and what did they LACK?
3. Why did Ernest NOT recognise HIMSELF as the true likeness? What does this tell us about HUMILITY and SELF-AWARENESS?
4. 'The prophecy was about Ernest all along.' Analyse the IRONY in this story. How does Hawthorne BUILD towards this revelation?

AP Board-Specific Writing Prompt

Andhra Pradesh has a RICH HISTORY of GREAT LEADERS: from the Satavahanas to the Vijayanagara empire, from Alluri Sitarama Raju to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Choose ONE great figure from Andhra history and explain how their CHARACTER and ACTIONS resemble the Great Stone Face ideal. What can today's children LEARN from this figure? Write a paragraph connecting the story to Telugu culture.

Activity

The Face You Admire: Think of a person — real or fictional — whose character you ADMIRE. It could be a parent, a teacher, a historical figure, or a character from a book. Write a paragraph: 'The Face I Admire.' Then answer: 'How can I BECOME more like this person?' 'The person you admire most is the person you are BECOMING.'