Jacques Ferron facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jacques Ferron
|
|
|---|---|
Jacques Ferron in 1977
|
|
| Born | January 20, 1921 Louiseville, Quebec, Canada
|
| Died | April 22, 1985 (aged 64) Saint-Lambert, Quebec
|
| Occupation | writer |
Jacques Ferron (born January 20, 1921 – died April 22, 1985) was a Canadian doctor and a talented writer. He was known for his unique stories and his involvement in politics.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jacques Ferron was born in Louiseville, Quebec. His mother passed away when he was young. He went to Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf but was expelled twice! He then continued his studies at Collège Saint-Laurent.
In September 1941, he was accepted into Université Laval. There, he studied medicine to become a doctor. He married Madeleine Therrien, a fellow student, in 1943, but they later divorced.
A Doctor's Journey
In November 1943, Jacques Ferron joined the Canadian army as a medic. He trained in British Columbia and Ontario. After his training, he worked as a medic in Quebec and New Brunswick.
When he left the army in 1946, he moved to Rivière-Madeleine, Quebec. His time living in the Gaspésie region inspired many of the stories he would write later. In 1947, his father passed away.
In 1948, he returned to Montréal. The next year, he moved to Longueuil, Quebec. His first book, L'ogre, was published around this time. He often helped working-class people in Longueuil without asking for money. He believed in helping others, especially those who were struggling.
Writing and Public Life
Starting in 1951, Jacques Ferron began working with L'Information médicale et paramédicale for 30 years. In 1952, he married Madeleine Lavallée.
He was also interested in public issues. In 1954, he joined the board of the Canadian Peace Congress. This group worked for peace in the world. In 1959, he helped start a magazine called Situations. In 1960, he helped create a group called l'Action socialiste pour l'indépendance du Québec. This group supported Quebec becoming an independent country.
In 1962, Jacques Ferron won a special award for his writing. He received the Governor General's Award for French fiction for his book Contes du pays incertain. This was a big achievement for him as a writer.
Political Involvement
Jacques Ferron was also involved in politics. He ran for election in 1958 with the CCF party.
In 1963, he started a unique political party called the Parti Rhinocéros. He called it an "intellectual guerrilla party," meaning it was a funny and clever way to make people think about politics. He also started writing for a magazine called Parti pris.
He ran for election again in 1966 with the RIN party. He did very well in his district. Later, in 1969, he became a member of the Parti Québécois.
Awards and Legacy
In 1977, the Quebec government honored him with the Prix Athanase-David. This is a very important award for people in the arts and literature in Quebec. In 1981, he was named an honorary member of the Union des écrivaines et des écrivains québécois, a group for Quebec writers.
Jacques Ferron passed away from a heart attack in 1985 at his home in St-Lambert, Quebec. He was 64 years old.
His life story was turned into a play in 2004 by playwright Michèle Magny. The play was called Un carré de ciel.
