Reader’s Corner: Becoming the ‘Great Stone Face’

As I write this, my husband and I are returning from what we call a “New England Highlights” road trip vacation. (And no, I’m not the one driving right now.) One of those highlights was a drive through the mountains of New Hampshire, with a stop at Franconia Notch. 

The Notch has been known for the “Old Man of the Mountain,” a rock formation that when viewed from certain lower points, resembled the craggy profile of a human face. The subject of many Native American legends, the Old Man became famous in the early years of the United States. Statesman Daniel Webster wrote of the formation, “Men hang out their signs indicative of their respective trades . . . but up in the mountains of New Hampshire, God Almighty has hung out a sign to show that He makes men.” 

Although most of the stone profile collapsed during the early 2000s from effects of weather and erosion, I was still eager to see the spot because one of my favorite authors, Nathaniel Hawthorne, used it as inspiration for his 1850 short story, “The Great Stone Face.” In the story, a young boy named Ernest is fascinated with the stone profile. As Ernest grows to manhood, many prominent figures visit the area in response to a legend that the person whom the face is supposed to portend will eventually show up. Some try to portray themselves as the fulfillment of the legend, crafting crazy stories about why they are the one. Ernest, on the other hand, seeks to become the best person he can be, and eventually enters the ministry. Years later, a writer and poet visiting the area attends one of Ernest’s public sermons, sees his sincere dedication to doing and teaching what is right, and in a moment of revelation, jumps up to shout, “I see it now! Ernest is the image of the Great Stone Face!” 

Hawthorne’s lesson has been inspirational to me for decades now—that our duty is not to seek acclaim for ourselves, but to devote ourselves to serving God and doing what is right; and by doing so, we become more and more like our Creator. New Hampshire keeps the profile in people’s memories, adopting it as the state emblem in 1945 and placing it on the back of the New Hampshire statehood quarter. It is currently on their license plates and state route signs. I enjoyed driving through New Hampshire with those constant reminders of God’s creative power in humanity and the importance of reflecting His character. If you haven’t read the Hawthorne’s story, available in many American literature anthologies in libraries and for purchase online, I highly recommend it!