THE GREAT STONE FACE I AND II 

BY ; Nathaniel Hawthorne

CHARACTER SKETCH • Ernest: He is upright, hard-working, and a benevolent presence to his neighbors. He spends his leisure hours gazing at a mountain rock formation called the Great Stone Face.

• Ernest's Mother: Loving woman who tells her son about an old story predicting that a child born in the valley below the Great Stone Face will become the greatest person of his time. The story says his face will resemble the one on the mountain. 

• Mr. Gathergold: A wealthy merchant who is a native of the valley. He arrives in the valley during his end days.

• Old Blood and Thunder: Great general who is a native of the valley returned in valley after becoming old and tired. 

• Statesman: Great orator who is a native of the valley. 

• Poet: Great writer who is a native of the valley who declared that ernest resembles as Great Stone Face.

Terms and Meanings from the Chapter

• Immense – Huge• Enormous – very big• Resembled – similar appearance• Benign – kind• Prophecy – statement that tells what will happen in the future.• Pensive – thoughtful• Gaze – stare• Stirred – moved• Labour - work• Folly – foolishness• Sympathises – feeling of sorrow, approval and understanding.• Beheld – saw• Renowned – famous• Banquet – feast• Proclaimed – announced

Summary of Chapter

One afternoon , a mother with her son, Ernest , was at the door of their cottage. They were talking about the great stone face. It was clearly visible in the bright sunshine. Thousands of people lived there. Everybody there, was familiar with the great stone face. It was the work of the nature. One day the great stone face smiled on Ernest and looked kindly . He wished to hear its pleasant voice. He longed to see a man with such a face in order to love him dearly. There was a man called gather gold he had left his native many years ago he had became quite rich man there. He decided to return to his native valley. There was a rumour that gathergold looked like the great stone face. Gathergold had the face of an old man with yellow skin. The people considered him the image of the great stone face Ernest gazed up the valley. The great stone face seemed to reject gathergold as its likeness. 

Ernest had grown up to be a young man. Everyday, he would go off by himself and gaze upon the great stone face. He wondered why its likeness was delaying its appearance. By his time gathergold had become poor and died without establishing his likeness with the stone face. After son of the valley had joined the army as a soldier many years before. He had be come a general by then and came to be known as blood and thunder on the battled. In his old age, he desired to return to his valley. The people considered him as the likeness of the great stone face. On his return, he was welcomed warmly. The gathering mistook him as the greatest man of all time. Ernest failed to recognise any likeness between Blood and thunder and the great stone face. His heart assured him that the real face had still to come. 

GREAT STONE FACE 2

Summary of the Chapter

Ernest still lived in his native valley. He was simple hearted man. He always worked for the betterment of the world. Though he was considered to be an ordinary man yet he was humble and rich in thoughts. With the passage of time ,Ernest became old. He had wise thoughts in his mind. He had become famous all over the world. Men came from distant places to see and speak to him. A new poet had appeared on earth while Ernest had been growing old. The poet was a native of Ernest's valley but had stayed in distant cities for a long period. The poet had heard of Ernest's character. One day, he came to his door. Ernest was reading a book and glancing lovingly at the mountain from time to time. Ernest gave him shelter for the night. The great stone face looked kindly at the poet. The poet found Ernest ,wise ,gentle and kind.Ernest used to speak to his neighbours every evening. The poet also accompanied him the poet listened to his talk. He felt that Ernest's life and character were a far nobler kind of poetry than his own poems just then ,the poet saw the great stone face . He declared Ernest as the likeness of the great stone face every body agreed with him. Ernest still hoped that someone wiser and better than himself would appear sometime, bearing a likeness to the great stone face.

Terms and Meanings from the Chapter

• Furrows – deep lines• Obscure – not well known• Unawares – unknowingly• Customary toil – usual work• Hospitably – kindly• Corresponded – been in harmony with• Custom – habit• Harmonised with – agreed with• Sage – wise man• Diffused – spread all around.

Comprehension Check

Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following statements.

1. Ernest’s words reminded people of the wise old sayings. ______► True

2. Total strangers from far away, who visited Ernest in the valley, found his face familiar. ______► True

3. The Great Stone Face confirmed Ernest’s view that the poet could be worthy of its likeness. ______► False

4. When Ernest and the poet met, they respected and admired each other equally. ______► True

5. The poet along with Ernest addressed the inhabitants of the valley. ______► False

6. The poet realised that Ernest’s thoughts were far nobler than his own verses. ______► True

Working with Text

Answer the following questions.

1. How was Ernest different from others in the valley?

Answer

Earnest was a humble, hardworking and thoughtful person. He was not an unknown person unlike others. As he grew old, he had became well known personality beyond limit of valley. College professors and even active men of cities came from far to meet him. Earnest received those people with gentle sincerity and spoke with them freely with open heart. He led a life of good deeds and with self-less love for others. He used to deliver thoughtful words from the depth of his heart. His words had power since they agreed with the reality of his life. While talking to his audience, his face would brighten and shine upon them, as with as mild evening light. In this way Earnest was different from others in the valley.

2. Why did Ernest think the poet was like the Stone Face?

Answer 

The poet wrote songs with lofty thoughts. The poetry of the poet found his way to Earnest also. Earnest used to read the poet’s poems and songs after his day’s work and found them worthy. When the poet came to meet Earnest, he looked wise, gentle and kind. Even the Great Stone Face appeared bending forward to listen to his talk. For all these reasons, Earnest began to think that the poet was like the Great Stone Face.

3. What did the poet himself say about his thoughts and poems?

Answer 

The poet said that Ernest could hear the distant voice of a heavenly song in his thoughts and poems. However, the poet felt that his own life had not corresponded with his thoughts. He had grand dreams, but they had been only dreams. Sometimes he even lacked faith in his own thoughts.

4. What made the poet proclaim Ernest was the Stone Face?

Answer

The poet observed Earnest while he was talking to his audience. Earnest was speaking kindly but from the depth of his heart and mind. The poet felt that Earnest’s own life and character were a nobler strain of poetry than he had ever written. The poet found great similarities between the misty white clouds around the Great Stone Face and the white hairs around the brow of Earnest. So, the poet proclaimed that Earnest himself was the Stone Face.5. Write ‘Ernest’ or ‘Poet’, against each statement below.

(i) There was a gap between his life and his words. - Poet(ii) His words had the power of truth as they agreed with his thoughts. - Ernest(iii) His words were as soothing as a heavenly song but only as useful as a vague dream. - Poetiv) His thoughts were worthy. - Ernest

(v) Whatever he said was truth itself. - Ernest(vi) His poems were noble. - Poet

(vii) His life was nobler than all the poems. – Ernest(viii) He lacked faith in his own thoughts. – Poet(ix) His thoughts had power as they agreed with the life he lived. – Ernest(x) Greatness lies in truth. Truth is best expressed in one’s actions. He was truthful, therefore he was great. – Ernest 

6. (i) Who, by common consent, turned out to be like the Great Stone Face?(ii) Did Ernest believe that the old prophecy had come true?What did he say about it?

Answer 

(i) By common consent, Ernest turned out to be like the Great Stone Face. (ii) No, Ernest did not believe that the old prophecy had come true. Even though everybody had agreed that he was the likeness of the Great Stone Face, he himself hoped that some wiser and better man than himself would appear, bearing a resemblance to the Great Stone Face.

Working with Language

1. Mark the meaning that best fits the word or a phrase in the story.

(i) (sun) going down(a) becoming smaller(b) weakening(c) setting► (c) setting

(ii) brightening(a) making (it) look bright and cheerful(b) lending (it) a special glow(c) causing (it) to appear hopeful► (b) lending (it) a special glow

(iii) spacious(a) lonely and wild(b) big and wide(c) special and important► (b) big and wide

(iv) prophecy(a) proverb(b) prediction(c) rumour► (b) prediction

(v) marvellous(a) wonderful(b) surprising(c) shocking► (a) wonderful

(vi) proclaim(a) reveal(b) declare(c) shout► (b) declare

(vii) cease(a) happen(b) stop(c) remain► (b) stop

(viii) (a night’s) shelter(a) stay(b) safety(c) hospitality► (a) stay

(ix) gazed(a) wandered about(b) stared at(c) thought of► (b) stared at

(x) took on(a) challenged (an expression)(b) resembled(c) assumed► (c) assumed

2 (ii) Which form of the verb is more natural in these sentences? Encircle your choice.

(a) I’m not free this evening. I will work/am working on a project.► I’m not free this evening. I am working on a project. 

(b) Have you decided where you will go for your higher secondary? Yes, I have. I will go/am going to the Kendriya Vidyalaya.► Have you decided where you will go for your higher secondary? Yes, I have. I will go to the Kendriya Vidyalaya.

(c) Don’t worry about the dog. It won’t hurt/isn’t hurting you.► Don’t worry about the dog. It won’t hurt you.

(d) The weatherman has predicted that it will snow/is snowing in Ranikhet tonight.► The weatherman has predicted that it will snow in Ranikhet tonight.

(e) Swapna can’t go out this evening. Her father will come/is coming to see her.► Swapna can’t go out this evening. Her father is coming to see her.

3 Complete these pieces of conversation using will or going to with the verbs given.

(a) Rani : Why are you turning on the radio?Ravi : I am going to listen to the news.

(b) Rani : Oh, I can’t buy this book. I have no money.Ravi : Don’t worry. I will lend you some.

(c) Rani : Look at those dark clouds.Ravi : I think it is going to rain.

(d) Rani : What shall we have for dinner?Ravi : I can’t decide.Rani : Make up your mind.Ravi : All right, then. We will have fried rice and dry beans.

(e) Rani : Why are you filling the kettle with water?Ravi : I am going to make coffee.

(f) Rani : We need some bread and butter for breakfast.Ravi : All right. I will go to the bakery and get some. (Before he goes out, Ravi talks to their father.)Ravi : I am going to get some bread and butter. Do you want any thing from the bakery?Father : Yes, I want some salt biscuits.Ravi : Fine, I will get you a packet.

Present Tenses in English

Examples

Simple present tense They walk home.

Present continuous tense They are walking home.

Past Tenses in English  

Simple past tense Peter lived in China in 1965.

Past continuous tense I was reading when she arrived.

Perfect Tenses in English  Present perfect tense I have lived here since 1987.Present perfect continuous I have been living here for years.Past perfect We had been to see her several times

before she visited us.

Past perfect continuous He had been watching her for some time when she turned and smiled.

Future perfect We will have arrived in the States by the time you get this letter.

Future perfect continuous By the end of your course, you will have been studying for five years.

Future Tenses in English

 

Simple future tense They will go to Italy next week.

Future continuous tense I will be travelling by train.

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