=HELPS TO STUDY=
The Great Stone Face is a rock formation in the Franconia Notch of the
White Mountains of New Hampshire, known as "The Old Man of the
Mountain."
I. What picture do you get from Part I? Tell in your own words what
the mother told Ernest about the Great Stone Face. Who had carved
the face? How? Find something that is one hundred feet high, and
picture to yourself the immensity of the whole face, judging by the
forehead alone. Describe Ernest's childhood and his education.
II. What reason had the people for thinking that the great man had
come in the person of Mr. Gathergold? Explain the reference to
Midas. What was there in Mr. Gathergold's appearance and action to
disappoint Ernest? What comforted him? Why were the people willing
to believe that Mr. Gathergold was the image of the Great Stone
Face? What caused them to decide that he was not? What was there to
indicate that Ernest would become a great and good man?
III. What new character is now introduced? Wherein was Old
Blood-and-Thunder lacking in resemblance to the Great Stone Face?
Compare him with Mr. Gathergold and decide which was the greater
character? How was Ernest comforted in his second disappointment?
IV. What kind of man had Ernest become? What figure comes into the
story now? Find a sentence that gives a clew to the character of
Stony Phiz. Compare him with the characters previously introduced.
Why was Ernest more disappointed than before? Where did he again
look for comfort?
V. What changes did the hurrying years bring Ernest? What sentence
indicates who the man of prophecy might be? Who is now introduced
in the story? Give the opinion that Ernest and the poet had of each
other. Find the sentence which explains why the poet failed. Who
was the first to recognize in Ernest the likeness to the Great
Stone Face? Why did Hawthorne have a poet to make the discovery? In
what way was Ernest great? How had he become so? What trait of
Ernest's character is shown in the last sentence?
The story is divided into five parts. Make an outline telling what
is the topic of each part.