For the 28th consecutive year, young French speakers have honored a novel other than the one chosen by the Académie Goncourt. The high school students chose “Sad Tiger” by Neige Sinno as their favorite, while the academy members preferred “Veiller sur elle” by Jean-Baptiste Andrea.
And there’s a bit of Quebec in this election. In fact, this year a group of students from John Abbott College on Montreal’s West Island took part in this historic event. Story of a very unusual literary adventure.
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First meeting of the group to discuss the books of the week.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Patrick André Perron
The adventure began in September. The students meet for the first time in an elegant, Victorian-style classroom at an English-speaking college. You can feel it in the air: they are aware that they are immersing themselves in an extraordinary experience together.
Equipped with their tablet or e-reader, they set themselves a great challenge: in eight weeks, devour the 16 books that were in the running for the prestigious Goncourt Literature Prize. They are instructed by the French teachers Daniel Rondeau and Ariane Bessette. It’s a completely crazy adventure, an incredible literary challenge! says the teacher.
These are the same books in the running for the Goncourt Prize that must be read for high school students for the Goncourt Prize. The difference, however, is that it is young people aged 15 to 18 who decide the winner.
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Ariane Bessette has been teaching French literature at John Abbott College for eight years.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Patrick André Perron
“It’s not gray heads who choose the winner, but really young people with their eyes,” adds Daniel Rondeau. In previous years books that [ont reçu] The students at Goncourt High School are characterized either by their involvement in a social issue or by a great deal of emotion, his colleague adds.
Everyone in the group has already read the first two novels on the list in preparation for their first meeting. These include “Let Our Joy Remain” by Quebec author Kevin Lambert. The exchange is fluid and the reflections are of high quality. Everyone has to express their point of view.
I think it’s a story [non seulement] Kamila Michelle Contreras Zarate argues about the humanity that is sometimes taken away from the rich, but also about the privileges that they themselves do not always want to have. Jeremy Plante, the only boy in the group, adds: If we tried to demonize the upper class, it wouldn’t have really worked for me.
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Nahid Nowrozi, Kamila Michelle Contreras Zarate and Magali Shimotakahara participate in discussions during the first group meeting for Goncourt High School students.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Patrick André Perron
Nahid Nowrozi focuses on the form of writing. They were long sentences that never ended and barely contained any punctuation marks. But there was an idea of a person’s thoughts. It took me a while to get used to it.
This is an extremely open-minded generation. “We hear that in their comments,” emphasizes teacher Ariane Bessette. And at the age they are, their feelings are so intense! If they like something, they love it. If they don’t like something, they hate it.
It moves me to see these students pushing through and allowing themselves to read all these books for pleasure and not for a grade. And they are wholeheartedly involved, says his colleague Daniel Rondeau.
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French literature professor Daniel Rondeau listens intently as his students discuss the books they are reading this week.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Patrick André Perron
A group of Francophiles
John Abbott College, an English-language institution on Montreal’s West Island, is the only institution in North America selected as a member of the Goncourt jury for high school students this year.
The group is incredibly diverse. Although teachers Ariane and Daniel had expected to find mostly French speakers in the group, they were pleasantly surprised to find that many participants do not have French as their first language.
I find this interest, this curiosity wonderful, which motivates students who identify as native speakers of English or for whom French is sometimes their third or fourth language!
This is the case of Anna Molins, who lives in an English-speaking family… but is Francophile and has a love of reading. When we travel we always read. When we are at home we read. We lend each other books and can discuss them afterwards. It’s really a great pastime for the whole family, explains the young woman, who lives with her two sisters and their parents.
She has a very personal motivation for embarking on this adventure.
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Anna Molins has loved words since she was a child.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Patrick André Perron
I would really like to be more bilingual, closer to the French language, closer to other Quebecers, because after all it is my home!
Nahid Nowrozi constantly navigates between Persian, which she inherited from her Central Asian parents, French, and English. She maintains a very special connection to Molière’s language, which has never deterred her. It is truly a beautiful language that is unique. French allows you to express certain things that cannot be expressed in English or Persian.
As for Jeremy Plante, after a break from reading in French, he felt the need to start again. I thought reading 16 books in eight weeks would be a good shock treatment! “I know it will be worth the effort,” he continues. I jumped at the chance to take part in this competition because I know full well that an opportunity like this will not arise again!
He says he was impressed by the seriousness of the novels’ content. They are almost exclusively socially committed books with a message. We talk about politics, the migrant drama, rape. There really are all sorts of heavy topics.
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Nahid Nowrozi was determined to take on the challenge while maintaining a good life balance.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Patrick André Perron
The disorientation of quickly switching from one book to the next is one of the things that fascinates Nahid about this challenge.
Sometimes we move from one narrative universe to a completely different one in two days. It is as if we are escaping reality to go from one universe to another.
Successfully combine study, work, social life… and reading!
This is obviously not a meeting like any other that the participants have to deal with. The key is consensus: organize your time well.
“I already have to juggle work, school, the tutoring I do, nursing internships… So there’s less time for reading,” concludes Jeremy. When I get home, my moments of relaxation basically become moments of reading. He admits he has been more tired than usual since starting the challenge.
Despite everything, he assures us that he maintains the reading pace.
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Jeremy Plante is happy to dive back into French literature after putting it aside for a while.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Patrick André Perron
On Mondays and Tuesdays I finish a first book. And then, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, I read the second one.
Personally, I have no difficulty managing my time. But it sure turned out to be a busy schedule. I’m trying to maintain balance in all of this! explains the very strict Nahid, who learned speed reading techniques over the summer to prepare for this challenge. I am very good. I read between 80 and 100 pages every evening. She also uses the breaks between lessons to improve her reading skills.
My friends, let’s just say I haven’t seen too much of them lately. When I’m not at school, I read at home. And when I’m not at home reading, I’m at school!
Anna is also holding out, at least for the moment. Things are going well at the moment. But if you ask me again in a month, the answer might be different! she said laughing.
A successful challenge
The first snow came in mid-November, the thousands of pages and their characters now live in the imaginations of young people.
This is the last meeting. That of the pat on the back. Because the performance is great. Also the results of the experience.
“We are exhausted, to be honest, but we are happy,” says Daniel Rondeau. We feel the fatigue in many young people, but the smile is still there!
They are extremely lit. This reassures the new generation. I am convinced that these nine young people will go far in life!
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Stefaniya Pillcheva and Alexa Bowers during the final preparatory meeting for high school students before the final trip to France in Goncourt.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Patrick André Perron
We didn’t have to motivate them! They are the ones who motivated us! adds Ariane Bessette, admiring her students. The sparkle in their eyes when they talk about reading with so much in their lives is great to see!
I finished reading the latest novel last night! “I almost woke up my whole family to tell them because I was so happy and relieved,” adds Anna.
Kamila admits the experience was stressful at times. But it was surmountable! And I would do it a thousand times, she assures us.
I am most proud of myself. I have gained confidence: I can read just as much in French during class and work. I feel great!
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Andrea Sanchez Benitez is proud of her achievement.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Patrick André Perron
I never thought I would read 16 books in two months! Oh my god, we did it! introduces Andrea Sanchez Benitez.
It’s also an opportunity to choose a shared favorite together.
“My favorite book has to be Sad Tiger,” reveals Magali. It’s an incredible story. Three other students agree.
Taking care of her was my favorite thing, admits another. It’s a really beautiful piece of fiction.
Ultimately, it is author Neige Sinno’s “Sad Tiger,” a harsh story about rape, that will win the favor of the majority of the group. Kamila will take on the role of the group’s delegate and defend the election of her comrades during the regional deliberations to be held in Paris the following week.
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Anna Molins can’t wait to fly to Paris, the highlight of her fall adventure.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Patrick André Perron
The trip to Paris, the great reward at the end of a breathless marathon, is the topic on everyone’s lips. Many have not yet visited France or have not traveled since the pandemic, so the visit is highly anticipated.
I am really looking forward! We thought about it for months! Anna says as she packs her bags. I think we deserve this trip. We worked really hard. We have achieved something incredible!
Fly away for the love of words
“The group is having fun and staying close at the same time,” writes Daniel Rondeau, who stays in touch with our team from a distance.
Since not all members of the group can take part in the discussions, they took the opportunity to transform the stay into a cultural trip with a literary touch. On the program: a visit to Victor Hugo’s house and no less to the French National Library.
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The group of CEGEP students from John Abbott College visits Paris in front of the Hôtel des Invalides.
Photo: Courtesy of Ariane Bessette
At the end of the regional deliberations, the group’s representative, Kamila, had the pleasure of being selected as a speaker for foreign high school students for the national and final deliberations that took place on Thursday in Rennes.
After discussions behind closed doors, it was ultimately the choice of the John Abbott College group, Triste tigre, that attracted the favor of French-speaking high school students and won the 2023 Goncourt des lycéens.
It was also one of Kamila’s personal favorites, which made the debates particularly interesting and rich for her. For me this book is just perfect! She explains. We made our choice primarily by thinking about the writings of Neige Sinno. Much has been said about the quality of his language and thought, as well as the book’s message and important social impact.
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Kamila Michelle Contreras Zarate will travel to Europe for the first time.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Patrick André Perron
It was an incredible experience. I really enjoyed sharing our culture with other high school students and having them share their culture with me. It was a wonderful atmosphere of exchange, friendship and at the same time very interesting debates about books. I loved it.
This stay was all the more memorable because she was able to share it with her John Abbott comrades.
We did almost everything together this week! We really agree a lot. I think we’ve made friendships that will last. It was worth it! I will remember this experience for the rest of my life, that’s for sure! She concludes with emotion and is grateful for what her love of reading has given her in the last few months.