The Great Stone Face Summary Analysis and Explanation

Students can also check the English Summary to revise with them during exam preparation.

The Great Stone Face Summary Analysis and Explanation By Nathaniel Hawthorne

About The Poet Nathaniel Hawthorne

Poet Name Nathaniel Hawthorne
Born 4 July 1804, Salem, Massachusetts, United States
Died 19 May 1864, Plymouth, New Hampshire, United States
Short stories Young Goodman Brown, The Birth-Mark
Movies The Scarlet Letter, Twice-Told Tales
Nathaniel Hawthorne - the great stone face summary questions and answers
Nathaniel Hawthorne

Short Summary Of The Great Stone Face in English

The Great Stone Face Introduction
A classic piece of American fiction juxtaposing mellowness of humanism with the magnificence of art. Ernest, an unschooled dweller of the valley, has a close affinity with the ‘Stone Face’ atop the hills.

He resembles the splendid Stone Face not someone for all his wealth, not someone else for all his heroic deeds, and not someone else yet again for his poetry and sublime ideas. It is none other than Ernest who personifies a rare blend of basic simplicity, practical wisdom, and deep love for humanity.

The Great Stone Face 1 Summary of the Lesson

One afternoon, a boy was sitting with his mother, at the door of their cottage. Both were talking about the Great Stone Face, which was clearly visible in the bright sunlight. Thousands of people of the valley were familiar with the Great Stone Face.

One day the Great Stone Face smiled on Ernest and looked kindly. He was willingly waiting for the man who resembles the Great Stone Face so that he could listen to the stone’s voice and love him dearly.

There was a man called Gathergold who had left the valley and he had become quite rich and popular. He decided to return to his native valley. There was a rumor that Gathergold looked like the Great Stone Face.

When Ernest went to see Gathergold he couldn’t resemble and reject Gathergold.

Ernest grew up day by day and watched the Great Stone Face regularly. He wondered why its appearance is delaying. By his time Gathergold becomes poorer and died without establishing his likeness with Great Stone Face.

After some time, a soldier son of the native valley came there. He had become a general by then and came to be known as blood and thunder in the battle. In his old age, he came to the village.

On his return, he was welcomed warmly, people thought that the soldier resembles a great stone face but deep in Ernest’s heart, he assured himself that great face had still to come.

The Great Stone Face 2 Summary of the lesson

The Great Stone Face Summary of the Lesson

Ernest still lived in his native valley. He was very simple and kind-hearted man. He always worked for the noble cause and betterment of the world. He was rich in thought and humble for the ordinary people.

With the passage of time, he became old. He became famous all over the world due to his thoughts. People came from a distant place to meet and see him. A new poet grew up on earth while Earnest ways growing old.

The poet was a native of Ernest valley and stayed miles away from the valley for a long time. The poet heard about Ernest’s character.

One day, he came to meet him at his door. Ernest was reading a book and glancing lovingly at the mountain from time to time. The poet stayed at Ernest’s home for a night.

The Great Stone Face looked like the poet. But the poet felt that Ernest is kind, gentle and wise. Ernest used to talk with his neighbor every evening. The poet felt that Ernest’s poetry is of the nobler kind than his own poems. Just then the poet saw Great Stone Face.

He declared that Ernest’s face resembles with a great stone face and everyone in the village agrees with him. Ernest still hopes that someone wiser than him would appear sometime, bearing a resemblance to the Great Stone Face.