The Interview – AHSEC Class 12 English Chapter 7

Here is a complete and detailed guide for Chapter 7 of the AHSEC Class 12 English textbook, “Flamingo,” which is “The Interview” by Christopher Silvester.

“The Interview” by Christopher Silvester: A Comprehensive Guide

This guide provides a thorough set of notes covering both parts of the chapter to help you prepare for your AHSEC Class 12 English examination.

1. Summary of “The Interview”

“The Interview” by Christopher Silvester is an excerpt from his introduction to the Penguin Book of Interviews. The chapter is divided into two parts. The first part discusses the interview as a journalistic form, exploring its merits and the varied opinions people hold about it. The second part is an actual interview between Mukund Padmanabhan from The Hindu and the renowned Italian professor and novelist, Umberto Eco.

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Part I: On the Interview as a Genre

In this part, the author explores the complex and often contradictory views on the practice of interviewing. Since its invention over 130 years ago, the interview has become a staple of journalism.

• Positive Views: Many see the interview as a “source of truth” and, in its highest form, an “art.” It is considered a “supremely serviceable medium of communication,” providing us with the most vivid impressions of our contemporaries.
• Negative Views: On the other hand, many celebrities view the interview as an unwarranted intrusion into their lives. They feel it “diminishes” them. Some, like V.S. Naipaul, feel that people are “wounded” by interviews and lose a part of themselves. Lewis Carroll, the creator of Alice in Wonderland, had a “just horror of the interviewer” and refused to be interviewed. Rudyard Kipling called it “immoral” and a “crime,” comparing it to an assault. H.G. Wells referred to it as an “ordeal.” Saul Bellow once described it as being like “thumbprints on his windpipe.”

Despite these criticisms, the author concludes that the interview is an indispensable part of journalism. It holds a position of “unprecedented power and influence” because, in today’s world, almost everything of importance reaches us through one person asking questions of another.

Part II: An Interview with Umberto Eco

This part presents an excerpt from an interview with Umberto Eco, a distinguished academic and novelist. The interviewer, Mukund Padmanabhan, begins by asking Eco how he manages to write on such a wide range of subjects.

Eco explains that he is always pursuing the same philosophical and ethical interests through all his works, whether they are academic texts, novels, or even children’s books. He then reveals his “secret” to being so prolific: he utilizes the “interstices,” or the empty spaces in time. For example, while waiting for someone to come up in an elevator, he can write an article. He emphasizes that our lives are full of these empty moments that can be used productively.

Mukund then asks about Eco’s distinctive writing style, which is playful and personal, unlike the dry and depersonalized style of most academics. Eco explains that this narrative style came to him naturally. He recounts how, for his doctoral dissertation, he told the story of his research, including his trials and errors, which was appreciated by his professor. This taught him that even scholarly books should be written as a narrative.

The conversation then turns to his phenomenal success as a novelist, especially after the publication of The Name of the Rose. Eco clarifies that he considers himself an “academic” or a “university professor who writes novels on Sundays.” He identifies with the academic community and only started writing novels by accident late in life, at the age of 50.

Finally, Mukund asks if Eco was puzzled by the huge success of The Name of the Rose, a very serious and difficult novel dealing with metaphysics, theology, and medieval history. Eco says he wasn’t puzzled. He believes that people are tired of “trash” and sometimes want a challenging reading experience. He thinks the success of the book is a “mystery” and that if it had been published ten years earlier or later, it might not have been so successful. The timing was just right.

2. Complete Textual Question and Answer Exercise

Here are the answers to all the questions given at the end of the chapter in your textbook.

Understanding the text

1. Do you think Umberto Eco likes being interviewed? Give reasons for your opinion.
Answer: Yes, it appears that Umberto Eco likes being interviewed, or at least is very comfortable with it. The reasons are:

• He answers all of Mukund’s questions patiently and in detail, without any sign of irritation.
• He is open and forthcoming, even sharing his “secret” about using “interstices.”
• He uses a friendly, conversational, and humorous tone, laughing and shrugging during the conversation.
• Unlike the writers mentioned in Part I, he does not express any negative views about the interview process. His cooperative and engaging demeanor suggests he sees it as a positive medium of communication.

2. How does Eco find the time to write so much?
Answer: Eco finds the time to write so much by utilizing what he calls “interstices”—the empty spaces or intervals in time. He gives the example of writing an article in the short time he waits for an elevator. He believes that by making use of these small, seemingly empty moments that everyone has in their lives, a great deal of work can be accomplished.

3. What was distinctive about Eco’s academic writing style?
Answer: What was distinctive about Eco’s academic writing style was its playful, personal, and narrative quality. Unlike the formal, depersonalized, and often dry style of regular academic writing, Eco’s work told the story of his research, including his “trials and errors.” This made his scholarly work accessible and engaging for a wider audience.

4. Did Umberto Eco consider himself a novelist first or an academic scholar?
Answer: Umberto Eco considered himself an academic scholar first. He explicitly states, “I consider myself a university professor who writes novels on Sundays.” He identifies with the academic community, attends academic conferences, and clarifies that he started writing novels late in life by accident. For him, his primary identity was that of a scholar.

5. What is the reason for the huge success of the novel, The Name of the Rose?
Answer: According to Umberto Eco, the reason for the huge success of The Name of the Rose is a “mystery.” While he acknowledges that the novel offered a difficult reading experience that people might have been craving, he doesn’t attribute its success to any single factor. He believes that it was a matter of timing, suggesting that the book’s success was a unique event that might not have been replicated if it had been published at a different time.

3. Previous Year AHSEC Question Answers (2015-2025)

Short Questions (2 Marks)

• What are some of the positive views on interviews? (AHSEC 2015, 2018)
  Answer: Some of the positive views on interviews are that they are a “source of truth” and can be considered an “art” in their highest form. They are a “supremely serviceable medium of communication” that provides the most vivid impressions of our contemporaries.
• Why do most celebrity writers despise being interviewed? (AHSEC 2016, 2020)
  Answer: Most celebrity writers despise being interviewed because they see it as an unwarranted intrusion into their private lives. They feel that interviews “diminish” them, and some, like V.S. Naipaul, feel “wounded” by them, as if they lose a part of themselves.
• What is the belief in some primitive cultures about being photographed? (AHSEC 2017)
  Answer: In some primitive cultures, it is believed that if one takes a photographic portrait of somebody, one is stealing that person’s soul. This belief is compared to the feeling some celebrities have about being interviewed.
• Who was Umberto Eco?
  Answer: Umberto Eco was a renowned Italian university professor, scholar, and novelist. He was known for his scholarly work on semiotics, literary interpretation, and medieval aesthetics before gaining international fame for his novel The Name of the Rose.
• What is the secret of Umberto Eco’s prolific writing?
  Answer: The secret to Umberto Eco’s prolific writing is his ability to use “interstices,” the empty spaces in time. He utilizes the small gaps and waiting periods in his day to get work done, which allows him to be incredibly productive.

Long Questions (5-7 Marks)

• “The Interview” presents two contrasting views on the practice of interviewing. Discuss these views with reference to the chapter. (AHSEC 2019)
  Answer: The first part of “The Interview” presents a detailed discussion of the two opposing views on the interview as a journalistic form.
  The negative view is held by many celebrities and writers who see the interview as an intrusive and demeaning process. V.S. Naipaul feels that interviews “wound” people. Lewis Carroll had a “horror” of interviewers. Rudyard Kipling considered it a “crime” and an “assault.” Saul Bellow compared it to having “thumbprints on his windpipe.” These writers feel that an interview is an invasion of their privacy and that it somehow diminishes their identity.
  The positive view, on the other hand, sees the interview as a valuable tool of communication. It is considered a “source of truth” and, at its best, an “art.” The author notes that it is a “supremely serviceable medium” that gives us our most vivid impressions of contemporary figures. Denis Brian is quoted as saying that the interviewer holds a position of “unprecedented power and influence.”
  The second part of the chapter, the interview with Umberto Eco, serves as a practical example of the positive view. Eco is cooperative, engaging, and uses the interview to clearly articulate his ideas, demonstrating its effectiveness as a medium of communication.
• Describe Umberto Eco’s academic and literary journey as revealed in the interview. What makes him a unique figure?
  Answer: Umberto Eco’s journey, as revealed in the interview, is that of a scholar who stumbled into literary stardom. His primary identity was always that of a “university professor.” His academic work focused on philosophy, semiotics, and medieval aesthetics. What made his academic writing unique was its narrative style. He told the story of his research, including his trials and errors, making it personal and engaging, unlike typical dry academic prose.
  His literary journey began by accident at the age of 50. He started writing novels to satisfy his “taste for narration.” His first novel, The Name of the Rose, became a massive international success, selling over 10 million copies. This brought him fame as a novelist, though he continued to see himself as an academic who wrote novels “on Sundays.”
  What makes him a unique figure is this dual identity and his incredible productivity. He was a serious, world-renowned scholar who also wrote best-selling novels. His secret was his philosophy of using “interstices”—the empty moments in time—to work. This ability to bridge the worlds of high academia and popular fiction, combined with his playful personality and immense output, made him a truly unique intellectual figure.

4. Most Important 10 Questions and Answers

1. What is an “interview” according to the chapter?
   Answer: An interview is a conversation, typically for a newspaper or broadcast, in which a journalist asks questions to a person to gather information and understand their views. It has become a common and powerful form of journalism.
2. Who were some of the famous writers who hated being interviewed?
   Answer: Famous writers who hated being interviewed include V.S. Naipaul, Lewis Carroll, Rudyard Kipling, and H.G. Wells.
3. What is the main argument in favor of interviews?
   Answer: The main argument in favor of interviews is that they are a “source of truth” and the most effective medium for getting vivid impressions of our contemporaries. In modern times, they are an indispensable tool of communication.
4. How does Umberto Eco connect his diverse works?
   Answer: Umberto Eco connects his diverse works through a common thread of philosophical interests. He states that whether he is writing academic texts, novels, or children’s books, he is always exploring the same “bunch of ethical, philosophical interests,” such as non-violence and peace.
5. What are “interstices” according to Umberto Eco?
   Answer: “Interstices” are the empty spaces or intervals in time that exist in our lives. Eco gives the example of the time spent waiting for an elevator. He believes these moments, which are often wasted, can be used productively.
6. Why did Umberto Eco start writing novels?
   Answer: Umberto Eco started writing novels “by accident” late in life. He says he had nothing to do one day and so he started. He also mentions that writing novels probably satisfied his “taste for narration,” which was already a part of his academic writing style.
7. Why did Eco’s American publisher not expect The Name of the Rose to be a bestseller?
   Answer: His American publisher did not expect the book to sell more than 3,000 copies because it was a serious and difficult novel set in the medieval period. She believed that in a country like America, where few people had seen a cathedral or studied Latin, such a dense book would not have a large audience.
8. What is Umberto Eco’s view on difficult vs. easy reading experiences?
   Answer: Eco believes that people do not always want easy reading experiences. He thinks that journalists and publishers often underestimate the public by assuming they only like “trash.” The success of his difficult novel suggests that there is a large audience that enjoys and seeks out challenging reading material.
9. What is the central theme of the chapter “The Interview”?
   Answer: The chapter explores the nature, function, and impact of the interview in modern journalism. It examines the dichotomy between the interview as an intrusive act and as a powerful medium of truth, ultimately showing through the example of Umberto Eco how it can be a highly effective and insightful form of communication.
10. How does Part II of the chapter serve as a practical illustration of the ideas in Part I?
    Answer: Part I discusses the theoretical pros and cons of interviewing. Part II provides a real-life example of a successful and illuminating interview. While Part I mentions celebrities who despise interviews, Umberto Eco in Part II is a willing and engaging subject, demonstrating the positive potential of the interview as a “source of truth” and a “serviceable medium of communication.”