The Interview Summary Class 12 English

Summary of The Interview

The Interview summary is a simplified version of the chapter using easy language. This chapter is an excerpt taken from ‘The Penguin Book of Interviews’. It is written by Christopher Silvester. In this chapter, the author talks about the technique of ‘interview’ as a new way of interrogating. He talks about it with reference to the field of Journalism. Moreover, he also discusses the importance of this new technique. He goes on to state how the interview has become a vital arena in everyone’s lives, regardless of the class, literacy or anything. We learn about the opinions of many celebrities concerning an interview. Thus, it teaches us about the functions, methods and merits of an interview. Moreover, the author also incorporates an excerpt from an interview with the notorious writer, Umberto Eco. This part allows us to get a glimpse at his literary method.

The Interview Summary in English

The chapter starts with the author introducing us to the method of an interview. We learn that it is pretty common in journalism and its origin dates back to 130 years before. He expresses that unsurprisingly, various people carry different opinions about the concept of the interview and its uses. Some people think of it very highly while others cannot bear giving an interview. 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.

Similarly, Rudyard Kipling’s wife writes in her diary about how two reporters in Boston ruined her. He thinks of interviewing as an assault. Moreover, he even believes that this crime should have a punishment. Further, Kipling is of the thinking that no respectable person asks for or gives an interview. Moreover, this chapter also contains an excerpt from an interview between Mukund, belonging to The Hindu Newspaper and Umberto Eco. Eco is a professor at the University of Bologna in Italy. He has a daunting status as a scholar for his philosophies on semiotics (the study of signs), literary interpretation, and medieval aesthetics before taking up writing fiction.

In the interview, we see it centres on his successful novel, The Name of the Rose. His novel sold more than 10 million copies. Mukund begins by asking him how he manages to do such different things. Umberto replies saying he is doing the same thing. Further, he goes on to justify his books that revolve around peace and non-violence. We learn that Umberto classifies himself as an academic scholar. He attends various academic conferences throughout the week and writes novels on Sundays. Moreover, he expresses that others considering him as a novelist and not scholar does not affect him at all. He agrees it is rather tough to influence millions of people with academic work.

Moreover, we also learn how he believes that our lives have empty spaces like the ones in atoms. He refers to them as interstices and admits that he does most of his productive work in the course of that time. Speaking about his novel, he remarks that it is not an easy read. It has got a detective feature to it alongside metaphysics, theology and medieval history. Similarly, he thinks that if he wrote the novel ten years earlier or later, it would not have achieved the same success. Thus, the reason for the success of the novel remains a mystery.

Conclusion of The Interview

To sum up, The Interview summary, we learn how many people differ when it comes to interviews, nonetheless, they are very interesting and informative as seen from Umberto’s interview.