THE INTERVIEW

By: Christopher Silvester

INTRODUCTION
The Interview by Christopher Silvester is an excerpt taken from his Penguin Book of
interviews. In this, he talks about various opinions of the celebrities regarding an
interview; its functions, methods and merits. It also consists of an excerpt from an
interview with the famous writer Umberto Eco.

Celebrity Opinion about Interview

V. S. Naipaul : People are wounded by interviews and lose a part of themselves
Lewis Caroll : Horror of being lionised
Rudyard Kipling : It is immoral, crime, an offence against a person, an assault,
merits, punishment, cowardly and vile
HG Wells : Ordeal
Saul Bellow : Thumbprints on his windpipe
Denis Brian : Our most vivid impressions of our contemporaries are formed
through interviews
Mukundn Padmanabhan: from The Hindu - interviews Umberto Eco.
Umberto Eco : Versatile genius- Professor at the University of Bologna,

GIST OF THE LESSON

Part – I
 Interview has become a commonplace of journalism. Opinions on the functions,
methods and merits of Interview vary considerably.
 Some claim it to be the highest form, a source of truth and in its practice, an art.
 Some despise the interview as an unwarranted intrusion into lives, which diminishes
their personality.
 V. S. Naipaul feels that ‘some people are wounded by interviews and lose a part of
themselves.’
 Lewis Carroll never consented to be interviewed for he believed it to be ‘a just horror
of the interviewer’. Rudyard Kipling considered it ‘immoral, a crime, an assault that
merits punishment’.
 H. G. Wells referred interviewing to be an ‘ordeal’,
 Saul Bellow describes it ‘like thumbprints on his windpipe’.
 Despite the drawbacks interview is a supremely serviceable medium of
communication. The most vivid impression of our contemporaries are the interviews

Part – II
 An extract from an interview of Umberto Eco interviewed by Mukund Padmanabhan.
 Umberto Eco was a professor with a formidable reputation as a scholar for his ideas on
Semiotics, literary interpretation and medieval aesthetics before he turned into writing
literary fiction. He attained intellectual superstardom with his publication “The Name of
the Rose’.
 In the interview Eco shares his idea of empty spaces in our lives just as they exist in an
atom, which he calls ‘Interstices’. He says that he makes use of these empty spaces to
work.

 Eco’s essays were scholarly and narrative. He likes to be identified more as a university
professor who writes novels.
 Eco’s ‘The Name of the Rose”, a serious novel, which delves into metaphysics, theology
and medieval history, enjoyed a mass audience. It deals with medieval past. He feels that
the novel wouldn't have been so well received, had it been written ten years earlier or
later

BRIEF INTRODUCTION
‘The Interview’ written by Christopher Sylvester throws light on various aspects of
interview in the field of journalism. Interview that was invented over 130 years, have
become a commonplace journalism. However, opinions of interview- of its functions,
methods and merits vary considerably. Part - II is an extract from an interview of
Umberto Eco, author of the popular novel, ’Name of the Rose’ by Mukund Padmanabhan
from ‘The Hindu’. This interview helps us to know many aspects of his writing style and
ideas. Though he gives the impression of doing many things at a time, he says, he is
doing the same thing, pursuing his philosophical interests through his writings and his
novels. Through his modest answers, he tells the secret of his success. He utilizes the
‘Interstices’ - empty spaces to his advantage.
THEME OF THE LESSON
The chapter is the reflection on the commendable and condemnatory aspects in
interviews. A part from being a record of varied views on this genre, the chapter
contains also an excerpt from an interview with a scholarly celebrity.

MESSAGE OF THE LESSON

The chapter tells us that an interview can make a lasting impression. Moreover, as per
an old saying, when we make perceptions about a particular person, the original identity
of their soul is taken away. We learn how the most popular celebrities have criticized
interviews.
Answer the following questions in 30 to 40 words.
1. What are some of the positive views on interviews?
Ans. Interview, in the 130 years of its existence, has become an inherent part of
journalism.
It is a useful means of communication that is, at times, considered to be an art, serving
as a source of truth. Denis Brian has stated that in today’s world we get to know “our
contemporaries” through their interviews.
2. Why do most celebrity writers despise being interviewed?
Ans. Celebrity writers believe that interviews unduly interfere in their private lives.
They regard themselves as victims of interviews. They claim that the interview in some
way ‘diminishes’ them, just like some ancient cultures believed that a portrait of a
person takes away his soul. Certain celebrities like V.S Naipaul have claimed that
interviews leave them wounded, while others like Rudyard Kipling have referred to it as
a crime and an immoral act.
3. What is the belief in some primitive cultures about being photographed?
Ans. Some primitive cultures believed that getting oneself photographed would rob
them of their souls.
4. What do you understand by the expression “thumbprints on his windpipe”?
Ans. “Thumbprints on his windpipe” means to choke or suffocate somebody by applying
pressure on his throat. Saul Bellow uses this expression to refer to the pressure and
discomfort felt by a celebrity while giving an interview.
5. Who, in today’s world, is our chief source of information about personalities?
Ans. Interviews help us know our contemporaries and their opinions. They serve as a
means of communication between the celebrities and the audience. In this case, the
interviewer is endowed with a very special power and he becomes our chief source of
information about personalities.
6. Do you think Umberto Eco likes being interviewed? Give reasons for your
opinion.
Ans. Yes, Umberto Eco, in all possibilities likes being interviewed. He readily answers
every question asked by Mukund Padmanabhan in an energetic and lively manner. He
does not seem apprehensive about sharing his secrets, experiences and opinions with
the interviewer, and consequently, the world. There is no indication throughout the
interview that he dislikes being interviewed.
7. How does Eco find the time to write so much?
Ans. Whenever Eco has a few moments to spare in between two different tasks, instead
of wasting them, he uses the time to write. Eco explains that just like the universe has
empty spaces, our lives too, have a lot of empty spaces or ‘interstices’, as he calls them.
He even gives an example of his working technique. He says that while waiting for
someone to come up the elevator he keeps himself busy.
8. What was distinctive about Eco’s academic writing style?
Ans. Eco’s writing style is strikingly different from that of the standard academic mode.
The academicians first make a thorough research, then move on to prove their
hypotheses, and finally, give their conclusion on that subject. The final outcome,
therefore, comes out as tedious. Eco, on the other hand, tells the story of his research,
including his “trials and errors”. While the scholars usually use a very depersonalised
and dull manner, Eco’s style is personalised and playful, and in the form of a narrative.
Answer the following questions in 100 words.
1. Do you think Umberto Eco likes being interviewed?
Ans. Yes, I think Umberto Eco likes being interviewed. Following are the reasons for my
opinion:
(i) I infer from the way Umberto Eco replied the questions put by Mukund
Padmanabhan that he likes being interviewed.
(ii) Eco seems to be in a relaxed mood and at ease throughout the interaction.
(iii) Eco replies questions with patience. He never seems to be in a hurry.
(iv) He shows his sense of humour when he says while waiting for Mukund’s elevator to
come up from the first to the third floor, he has already written an article.
(v) His statement, “I am a professor who writes novels on Sunday’s shows that Eco likes
being interviewed.
2. How does Eco find the time to write so much?
Ans. Eco finds the time to write so much in the following way.
(i) Umberto Eco himself says that he is a professor who writes novels on Sunday. Thus
he utilises his holidays for writing work.
(ii) He also points out that he started writing novels by accident He had nothing to do
one day and so he started. Novels probably satisfied nothing to do one day and so he
started. Novels probably satisfied his taste for narration. He writes from his heart.
Writing being his passion, he finds time anyhow or other to satisfy his passion.
(iii) Eco himself explains how he gets time for writing we have a lot of empty spaces in
our lives Eco calls these empty spaces. He says to his interviewer, Mukund, “While
waiting for your elevator to come up from the first to the third floor, I have already
written an article” Thus he works in empty spaces and finds time to write so much.
These moments between one action and the other actions provides him time for writing.
3. Imagine that you are Christopher Silvester. You have been invited to a seminar
series titled-'Ethics and Techniques of Interviewing'. The organizers would like
you to speak about the challenges of conducting interviews, and skills
interviewers must have in order to conduct good and ethical interviews. Based on
your reading of The Interview, Part I and II, draft your speech. Include relevant
details from the text in support of your answer.
Answer:
Ethics and Techniques of Interviewing- Common people think that an interview is the
only and best source of truth. It, according to them, is an art. Celebrities find themselves
as victims; they take interview as an unwarranted intrusion into their lives which somehow
diminishes them. Interviews are also described as thumbprints on windpipe because the
interviewee becomes exhausted by the questions of the interviewer. Despite its drawbacks, the
interview has its own advantages. Though, interview is an intrusion into the personal life of the
interviewee, it is always a supremely serviceable medium of communication. Through the
interviews only, we get vivid impressions of our contemporary celebrities. We get a glance of
their way of working for being a successful and well thought-out reporter, who always asks
answerable and dexterous questions to his interviewees, one has to plan and prepare to conduct
an interview of a celebrity. Never ask ugly or your embarrassing questions and make the
celebrity whom you interview always feel comfortable with questions. Through the interviews,
readers not only get the information about the celebrities but many other important aspects of
interviewer's personality also come in their knowledge. Ask brief and quality questions to his
interviewees scrupulously. Let the interviewees speak in their own manner and never try to
interrupt or cross-question them.
In this way, interviewees will be free and frank with you. A prepared interviewer, in
advance, arranges the information and personality traits of his interviewees and then
with full preparations, starts his sessions. In all, I can say that all these traits make a
disciplined and dedicated interviewer.