Le commun des mortels

Le commun des mortels, which roughly translates as “average guy,” is the story of a life on the edge of the currents of history, which is how most of us live. It’s a life of resourcefulness, symbols, faith and sweat. How did Éverard Leblanc, an uncomplicated man, succeed in traversing an entire century? The narrator recounts his transition from various perspectives: French Canadian to Québécois, rural and traditional to modern and globalized, fervent Catholicism to empty churches, birth to death. There are pivotal points in Éverard’s life when he is tested by the march of progress, along with the vagaries of an ever-changing economy. Ultimately, we see two stories: the big one of a century gone by, and the small one of an average guy named Éverard.