The Interview

Christopher Silvester’s The Interview examines the history, function, and mixed opinions surrounding the practice of interviews, while also presenting an engaging excerpt from an interview with Umberto Eco.

In Part I, Silvester traces the invention of the interview about 130 years ago and how it has since become central to journalism. Interviews are powerful because they give vivid impressions of personalities. However, opinions about them vary. Some see interviews as a form of art and a reliable source of truth. Others, particularly writers and celebrities, dislike them as intrusive and diminishing. Lewis Carroll avoided interviews, Kipling condemned them as immoral assaults, H.G. Wells called them ordeals, and Saul Bellow described them as “thumbprints on his windpipe.” Despite criticism, interviews remain an influential medium of communication, shaping public perceptions.

Part II presents an interview conducted by Mukund Padmanabhan with Umberto Eco, professor at the University of Bologna and world-famous author of The Name of the Rose. Eco explains that although he appears to do many things, all his writings—novels, children’s books, essays—are linked by his ethical and philosophical concerns, especially peace and non-violence. He reveals his secret of productivity: making use of “interstices,” or small gaps of time in daily life.

Eco also discusses his unconventional academic style, which narrates the story of research rather than presenting dry conclusions. This narrative quality, he believes, naturally led him into novel-writing, though he began only at fifty. Despite being globally recognised as a novelist, Eco insists he is primarily a university professor, regarding fiction as something he writes “on Sundays.”

Regarding the phenomenal success of The Name of the Rose, Eco attributes it partly to mystery and timing. Though it is a complex novel with layers of history, theology, and metaphysics, millions embraced it, proving that readers do not always prefer “easy” literature. He notes that while journalists and publishers often underestimate readers, many seek challenging experiences.

Through humour, anecdotes, and modesty, Eco’s interview provides insight into his personality as both scholar and storyteller.

Thus, The Interview explores the double-edged nature of interviews — intrusive yet revealing, resented yet powerful — and highlights how they have become a defining form of modern communication.

Word Count: ~503

Chapter 7: The Interview – Christopher Silvester

NCERT SOLUTION

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Page 67 – Comprehension Check

Q1. What are some of the positive views on interviews?
Answer: Interviews are seen as a source of truth, a form of art, and a supremely serviceable medium of communication. Denis Brian wrote that most vivid impressions of contemporaries come through interviews.

Q2. Why do most celebrity writers despise being interviewed?
Answer: They see interviews as intrusive and diminishing. For instance, Lewis Carroll hated being lionised, Rudyard Kipling called interviews immoral, and Saul Bellow compared them to “thumbprints on his windpipe.”

Q3. What is the belief in some primitive cultures about being photographed?
Answer: They believe that being photographed steals one’s soul.

Q4. Who, in today’s world, is our chief source of information about personalities?
Answer: Interviewers, because much of what we know of public figures reaches us through interviews.

Q5. What do you understand by the expression “thumbprints on his windpipe”?
Answer: It means extreme discomfort and suffocation — Saul Bellow used it to describe the unpleasantness of being interviewed.

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Page 71 – Understanding the Text (Umberto Eco’s Interview)

Q1. Do you think Umberto Eco likes being interviewed? Give reasons.
Answer: Yes, he appears comfortable and humorous in interviews. He answers with anecdotes and explanations, showing openness and ease.

Q2. How does Eco find the time to write so much?
Answer: He uses small gaps of time in daily routine, which he calls “interstices,” such as while waiting for an elevator.

Q3. What was distinctive about Eco’s academic writing style?
Answer: His scholarly works have a narrative style, telling the story of research, unlike the usual dry, depersonalised academic style.

Q4. Did Umberto Eco consider himself a novelist first or an academic scholar?
Answer: He considered himself a university professor first, who wrote novels on Sundays. He identified with the academic community.

Q5. What is the reason for the huge success of the novel The Name of the Rose?
Answer: Eco felt its success was mysterious. While some credited its medieval theme, he believed it simply reached readers who enjoyed serious, difficult reading. Timing also played a role.

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Page 71 – Talking about the Text

• Interviews provide direct insight into celebrities and their fields.

• Television interviews add visual impact, while print allows detail; preferences vary.

• Celebrities deserve privacy, but interviewers must balance curiosity with respect.

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Page 72 – Noticing Discourse Linkers and Signallers

Examples:

• “Which brings me to my next question…”

• “But let me tell you another story…”
  Such linkers and signallers keep the conversation smooth and coherent.

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Page 73 – Writing

Q: Write a short report of Eco’s interview.
Answer (Sample Report):

Report on Interview with Umberto Eco
Umberto Eco, renowned scholar and novelist, explained that all his works stem from the same philosophical interests. He writes in “interstices” of time and believes scholarly writing should narrate the story of research. Though author of over forty scholarly works, he identifies as a professor rather than a novelist. Eco stated that The Name of the Rose, combining detective fiction with history and theology, achieved unexpected worldwide success. He attributed this to readers’ interest in serious literature, while acknowledging the mystery of timing in literary popularity.