Class 12 English Notes Prose 7 (The Interview) – Flamingo Book

Detailed Notes with MCQs of Chapter 7, "The Interview" from your Flamingo textbook. This chapter, taken from Christopher Silvester's introduction to the Penguin Book of Interviews, is quite significant as it explores the nature, function, and impact of interviewing as a journalistic practice. It's divided into two parts, which we'll break down for effective preparation.

Chapter: The Interview
Author: Christopher Silvester (Excerpt from his introduction to the Penguin Book of Interviews, An Anthology from 1859 to the Present Day)

Part I: Perspectives on the Interview

• Introduction to the Interview:

  • The interview is a relatively modern invention, becoming commonplace in journalism only about 130 years ago.
  • Despite its ubiquity today (almost unavoidable for prominent figures), it remains a controversial form.
  • It is often described as the "highest form" of communication, a source of "truth," and an "art."

• Varying Opinions: The chapter highlights the starkly different views held by various celebrated individuals regarding being interviewed:

  • Negative Views (Dislike/Distrust):
    • Many celebrities see interviews as an unwarranted intrusion into their lives, diminishing their privacy and potentially misrepresenting them.
    • V.S. Naipaul: Felt that interviews "wound" people and cause them to "lose a part of themselves."
    • Lewis Carroll: Had a "just horror" of the interviewer, avoiding them persistently.
    • Rudyard Kipling: Considered it "immoral," a "crime," an "offence against his person," an "assault," deserving punishment. His wife often shielded him.
    • H.G. Wells: Referred to an interview in 1894 as an "ordeal" but later became a frequent interviewee himself.
    • Saul Bellow: Described interviews as being like "thumbprints on his windpipe," suggesting a suffocating and violating experience.
  • Positive/Neutral Views (Acceptance/Utility):
    • Despite the criticisms, the interview is seen as a "supremely serviceable medium of communication."
    • It provides vivid impressions of contemporaries that are uniquely accessible through direct conversation.
    • Denis Brian: Notes that almost everything of moment reaches us through one man asking questions of another.
    • Implied acceptance by figures like Joseph Stalin, who granted interviews.

• Core Conflict: The central tension is between the interviewer's perceived right to know and the interviewee's right to privacy and self-representation. The interview functions as a powerful tool but also carries the potential for distortion and exploitation.

Part II: An Excerpt from an Interview with Umberto Eco

• Interviewer: Mukund Padmanabhan (from The Hindu newspaper).

• Interviewee: Umberto Eco – A highly distinguished Italian academic (Professor at the University of Bologna), semiotician (expert in the study of signs), philosopher, literary critic, and novelist.

• Key Points from the Interview:

  • Eco's Diverse Interests: Mukund notes Eco's incredibly wide-ranging work – academic texts, fiction, essays, children's books, newspaper articles. Eco clarifies his primary identity is academic.
  • Self-Perception: Eco identifies himself first and foremost as an "academic scholar" or "university professor." He considers writing novels something he does "on Sundays" – implying it's secondary to his academic pursuits.
  • Writing Style: Eco explains his academic writing often adopts a narrative style, making it accessible. He mentions his doctoral dissertation on Thomas Aquinas, where even his research process had narrative elements.
  • Philosophy of "Interstices": Eco reveals his secret to productivity: utilizing "interstices" – the empty spaces or intervals in time (e.g., waiting for someone). He claims to write extensively during these seemingly unproductive moments. He humorously connects this to the vastness of the universe, filled with empty spaces.
  • Non-Fictional Focus: Despite his fame as a novelist (especially after The Name of the Rose), Eco emphasizes that his scholarly work on semiotics, literary interpretation, and medieval aesthetics is central to his identity and intellectual contribution.
  • Success of The Name of the Rose:
    • The novel, published in 1980, was a phenomenal, unexpected success, selling over 10 million copies.
    • It's a dense work combining semiotics, medieval history, theology, metaphysics, and a detective story structure.
    • Eco is modest and somewhat puzzled by its massive appeal, suggesting it might be due to timing or readers seeking challenging experiences rather than easy reads. He rejects simplistic explanations.
  • Being Labelled a Novelist: Eco acknowledges that most people now know him as a novelist, even though he identifies more strongly with his academic work. He seems resigned to this public perception.

Themes & Significance for Exams:

1. The Nature of Interviews: Understand the arguments for and against interviewing as presented in Part I. Be familiar with the specific opinions of key figures mentioned (Kipling, Naipaul, Bellow, Carroll).
2. Umberto Eco's Profile: Know his primary profession (academic/professor), key areas of expertise (semiotics, medieval studies), and his diverse writing output.
3. Eco's Writing Philosophy: Understand the concept of "interstices" and his narrative approach even in academic writing.
4. The Name of the Rose: Be aware of its genre blend, massive success, and Eco's perspective on why it became popular.
5. Identity and Perception: Consider the contrast between how Eco sees himself (academic) and how the world largely perceives him (novelist).

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. According to Christopher Silvester, the interview became a commonplace of journalism approximately how many years ago?
   a) 50 years
   b) 100 years
   c) 130 years
   d) 200 years

2. Which author described being interviewed as akin to having "thumbprints on his windpipe"?
   a) V.S. Naipaul
   b) Rudyard Kipling
   c) H.G. Wells
   d) Saul Bellow

3. V.S. Naipaul felt that interviews ______ people.
   a) Enlighten
   b) Wound
   c) Elevate
   d) Amuse

4. Despite criticisms, the interview is described in Part I as a "supremely serviceable medium of ______."
   a) Entertainment
   b) Intrusion
   c) Communication
   d) Fiction

5. How does Umberto Eco primarily identify himself?
   a) As a best-selling novelist
   b) As a newspaper columnist
   c) As a university professor/academic scholar
   d) As a children's book author

6. What does Umberto Eco refer to as "interstices"?
   a) The gaps between paragraphs in his novels
   b) Empty spaces or intervals in time used for writing
   c) Philosophical disagreements between scholars
   d) The historical periods between major events

7. Umberto Eco's highly successful novel, The Name of the Rose, is described as dealing with:
   a) Modern-day espionage
   b) Science fiction and space travel
   c) Medieval history, theology, and metaphysics within a detective story
   d) Romantic relationships in 19th-century Italy

8. Who interviewed Umberto Eco in the excerpt provided in Part II?
   a) Christopher Silvester
   b) Denis Brian
   c) Mukund Padmanabhan
   d) Saul Bellow

9. What reason does Umberto Eco speculate might be behind the huge success of The Name of the Rose?
   a) Its simple plot and easy language
   b) A massive advertising campaign
   c) Readers possibly wanting difficult reading experiences
   d) Its adaptation into a popular film prior to release

10. Which writer had a "just horror" of the interviewer and avoided them?
    a) H.G. Wells
    b) Lewis Carroll
    c) Umberto Eco
    d) Rudyard Kipling

Answer Key:

1. c) 130 years
2. d) Saul Bellow
3. b) Wound
4. c) Communication
5. c) As a university professor/academic scholar
6. b) Empty spaces or intervals in time used for writing
7. c) Medieval history, theology, and metaphysics within a detective story
8. c) Mukund Padmanabhan
9. c) Readers possibly wanting difficult reading experiences
10. b) Lewis Carroll

Study these notes carefully, paying attention to the specific views expressed and the details from the Umberto Eco interview. Good luck with your preparation!