Roch Carrier's The Sweater

As you know, we've had a chance to listen to a recording of Roch Carrier reading his story, The Hockey Sweater and we'll also watch part of the film, The Rocket. We've also been able to read two of Richard Harrisons' poems about Richard. Before class on Friday, please watch this ten-minute film based on Roch Carrier's story.

The goal of this assignment is partly to have you read/hear a Canadian classic that tells us something essential about Canadian and especially Québécois culture. The other aim, though, is to give you, I hope, a greater sense of the importance of hockey to Canadian identity and the place of Montréal Canadiens and Maurice Richard in the history, culture, and identity of Québec. As this year is the 100th anniversary of the Canadiens, I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot about Rocket Richard over the coming months.

The story, the children's book, the audio book, and the National Film Board film short are all touchstones in many Canadians' memories of childhood.