Summary & Question-answers of The Chapter : 9- The Great Stone Face - I with the concerned video

The Great Stone Face- I Summary in English

The Great Stone Face is a story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It revolves around a man and his fascination with a mountainside. A little boy named Ernest lives with his mother in the valley. The mother is telling Ernest about the Great Stone Face.

Everyone in the valley knew about it. Now, Ernest was learning about it. It is indeed a piece of nature. It is a local mountainside that has huge rocks that resemble the features of a human face from afar. So much so, that it looks alive.

Ernest always felt that the giant face was always smiling at him. His mother tells him about a local legend that says that a man resembling the giant face will return to the valley one day. That man will be the greatest and noblest.

This just piqued Ernest’s interest even more. Ernest is a happy and helpful child who grows up to be a mild and quiet adult. Many years ago, a man, Gathergold, left the valley. He is now a rich man who returns to the valley. People start talking about Gathergold can indeed be the look-alike of the Great Stone Face.

However, Ernest did not feel he was the one. He goes every day and gazes at the giant face. It always makes him wonder why the look-alike has not come back yet. By this time, Gathergold passes away without ascertaining resemblance to the giant face.

Meanwhile, there is another man of the valley who joins the army and leaves the valley. He is very famous on the battlefield but is now old and returns to his valley. Again, people think he is the one but Ernest is not yet content with this. He keeps on waiting for the man resembling the Great Stone Face to arrive.

COMPREHENSION CHECK (PAGE 129)

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

The Great Stone Face stood near where Ernest and his mother lived.

One would clearly distinguish the features of the Stone Face only from a distance.

Ernest loved his mother and helped her in her work.

Though not very rich, Gathergold was a skilful merchant.

Gathergold died in poverty and neglect.

The Great Stone Face seemed to suggest that Ernest should not fear the general.

Answer:

False

True

True

False

True

True

WORKING WITH THE TEXT (Page 130)

Answer the following questions.

Question 1:

What was the Great Stone Face?

What did Young Ernest wish when he gazed at it?

Answer:

The Great Stone Face was the work of nature. The rocks were put one over the other on the mountain side. They resembled the features of a human face.

Young Ernest wished that the stone face could speak. He wished to love the man dearly whoever resembled that face.

Question 2:

What was the story attributed to the Stone Face?

Answer:

The story attributed to the Stone Face was that some day a child with the likeness of that face would be born. He would become the greatest and noblest person of his age.

Question 3:

What gave the people of the valley the idea that the prophecy was about to come true for the first time?

Answer:

A youngman named Gathergold had left the valley many years ago. By the time he grew old, he had grown rich. When he returned to his native valley, a rumour spread that he resembled the Stone Face. People thought that the prophecy had come true.

Question 4:

Did Ernest see in Gathergold the likeness of the Stone Face?

Who did he confide in and how was he proved right?

Answer:

No, Ernest did not see any likeness of the Stone Face in Gathergold.

He confided in the Great Stone Face. After Gathergold’s death as his wealth and gold had already disappeared, it was generally agreed that Gathergold had no resemblance with the Great Stone Face.

Question 5:

What made people believe General Blood- and-Thunder was their man?

Ernest compared the man’s face with the Stone Face. What did he conclude?

Answer:

General Blood-and-thunder had risen to high position from a soldier. When he returned to the valley, his childhood friends said that the General had always looked like the Stone Face.

Ernest could not find any likeness between the General and the Stone Face.Ernestlikeness between the General and the Stone Face.Ernest is still not content with this. He does not see any resemblance and still believes the real look-alike is not here yet. He keeps on waiting for the man resembling the Great Stone Face to arrive.