lesson – 7

THE INTERVIEW
About the author

Christopher Silvester (1959) was a student of history at Peter

house, Cambridge. He was a reporter for Private Eye for ten years and
has written features for Vanity Fair. Following is an excerpt taken from
his introduction to the Penguin Book of Interviews, An Anthology from
1859 to the Present Day

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.

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  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 scholary 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.

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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;
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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.

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