This text is part of the special Francophonie notebook
David Goudreault is in love with French. More than the success of his novels and collections of poetry, the multiple awards he has received, his shows, his fight against addiction…, the Sherbrooke author above all wants us to remember him as a ” fervent defender of the French language. It is precisely under these words that it is described in the dictionary THE Robert illustratedin which he made his debut this year.
“When I was told I was going to be in the dictionary, the first question I asked was: “What is the definition?” » remembers David Goudreault. The inclusion of his passion for French fulfilled him. “I have been involved in several causes, but what runs through all my projects is the language, Quebec French. »
These days, this passion manifests itself once again on stage, where he presents the show Alongside the textin which he “confronts the great texts of the French-speaking world with the vagaries of everyday life”.
With this unique show, the man who made himself known as a slammer wants to seduce a public reluctant to read by making them see writings in a new light. “I join a lot of French teachers,” he notes. But the engineer or mechanic spouse is sometimes not a great reader. I make it my duty to [lui faire découvrir des textes qui vont lui] make you want to read. »
Drawing on classic authors, such as Alexandre Solzhenitsyn and Agota Kristof, David Goudreault “plays with self-deprecation between the power of the books” which “marked and forged” him and the triviality of existence. It is the trials undergone by the writers he cites, or their characters, which allowed him to overcome his own, he believes.
“I know I won’t get everyone to read,” he concedes. But I hope to reach people who don’t know literature or who have bad memories of texts that were shoved down their throats in high school. » An example: his presentation of the poem Dreamed for winter, by Arthur Rimbaud. “People know his name, but he’s an abstract icon, far from everyday life. When I take up the poem by putting it in context, by embodying it, by making people understand the depth and naughtiness of the text, suddenly people laugh and feel the text. They create an emotional connection. »
A tool of emancipation
For David Goudreault, French is much more than a tool to play with. “Language is a solid foundation on which we can build ourselves and meet others,” he says with fervor. If we don’t have a common language, we can’t build anything together. » Despite its importance, the conditions for its preservation are far from being met, he observes. “What is happening with francization in Quebec is, for me, incredibly sad and hypocritical. It is a purely economic approach which results from a very short-term political vision. We are putting in place projects that are intended to be promising, but which will eventually only be so for a few, while there is danger at home for the language and the nation! »
In response to this observation, it continues to promote Quebec French in all its initiatives. “I sometimes refused collaborations because I felt that we were moving away from the importance of language,” he says. In addition to his show, the author is working on a partnership with the dictionary team THE Robertpromising a “resounding publication around our language” for fall 2024.
His attachment to our language is also manifested in his novels, which he writes above all for the Quebec public. “It’s a fight that could cost me,” he notes. For example, despite the good critical reception that received Maple [paru en 2022], my French publisher did not want to publish it, telling me that it was too Quebecois. We’re on good terms anyway. But it’s a choice that I make, not to punish my language to have access to the European market. »
A fervent sovereignist, David Goudreault sees in his fight for French obvious links with the broader issues of our time. “Uncontrolled globalization is the great evil of the millennium,” he recalls. It destroys nature and communities. » It is this same globalization which “atomizes communities”, he believes. “We serve the interests of multinationals when we atomize ourselves. The real fight must be waged on a global scale through local and national solidarity. » In Quebec, if David Goudreault has his say, victory will go through French.
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.