Reading kept author and journalist Claudia Larochelle alive. This is what she said, in other words, in an open letter to The Press few years ago. These words are the source of Read to livedocumentary presented at Savoir Média where we are interested in the social impacts of reading books.
The idea for the documentary germinated in the head of Michel Pelletier, director of the show. Claudia on the page. Touched by the open letter read in The Press in which, beyond her personal experience, Claudia Larochelle pleaded for real consideration of the benefits of reading, he wanted to explore the subject in her company.
If Claudia Larochelle believes so much in the benefits of reading, it is because books were her lifeline in a low moment in her life. As a young teenager, at 14, she sank into depression, to the point of no longer daring to leave the house. She took refuge in books. This episode in his life is the starting point of his quest.
Read Claudia Larochelle’s open letter
In front of Michel Pelletier’s camera, the author and journalist talks about learning to read, the lack of interest in books, the positive economic impact of better literacy and the social damage caused by illiteracy. Claudia Larochelle is also interested in the best ways to restore the taste for reading.
“I wanted to take a broad approach because I look for possible solutions everywhere, outside of school, in particular,” she says, giving the example of the crucial role that public libraries can play, where motivated librarians can become streetlight lighters.
The pleasure of reading
After reuniting with the teacher who taught her to read and write when she was a child, the author finds herself face to face with an eloquent defender of reading: the French novelist Daniel Pennac, who published more than 30 years ago a fabulous essay on reading entitled Like a novel.
His approach is that of the pleasure of reading. With his usual verve, he recalls this magical moment when the indecipherable begins to make sense for a child, this wonder of finally knowing how to read. “Afterwards, it deteriorates,” he regrets. Little by little, we will make this reading a duty and, from this duty, an evaluative response. The spell will break, until it disappears. »
The use of books in teaching occupies a congruous part of the documentary. Claudia Larochelle shows a teacher who knows better than others how to use the abundant children’s literature to interest children. The host also points out that there are many teachers who don’t like reading. “We can’t ask everything from the school environment either,” she believes. This is a matter that also concerns the family home. »
Read to live achieves something not so common: talking about literature and access to literature, avoiding snobbery. Claudia Larochelle sits in front of eloquent people, devoid of condescension, whose words are accessible.
She wanted “people of heart”, to avoid any form of hermeticism and speak to as many people as possible. Because reading concerns everyone.
A delay to fill
Historically behind, particularly due to the long influence of the Catholic Church over the population, Quebec has 53% of citizens with insufficient reading skills to decipher complex texts (level 3 of literacy skills). Achieving it is entirely possible for a third (34%) of them, who are already at level 2, underlines economist Pierre Langlois.
It also reminds us that a people who read better are more educated and in a better position economically. Reading difficulties, on the other hand, make the population less able to follow political debates and participate in civic life in an informed manner. We see it a lot on social networks, he emphasizes: when reading the comments left by certain Internet users following an article, we often wonder if they have fully understood the issues.
Read to live is concerned about the little place that literature occupies in public life, underlines the unfavorable prejudice towards literary people that a part of the population maintains, but is not catastrophist for all that. It’s a film full of generosity where great readers also share their passion.
The current Minister of Culture and Communications, Mathieu Lacombe, is one of them. Coming from a more difficult environment, passed from one foster family to another, he, like Claudia Larochelle, found refuge in books. And there he drew the momentum that would propel him. “If I am Minister of Culture today, it is thanks to books. I’m sure. »
Tuesday, 6 p.m., on Savoir Média