Flamingo Chapter 7 The Interview

According to the writer, an interview helps us in finding out the hidden talent of a person. It brings to us the truth about people and events. It is a supremely useful medium of communication. It gives us the most vivid impressions of our contemporaries. In everyday practice, an interview is an art and varies in its functions, methods and merits. We come to know about a celebrity by asking him questions. We must not forget that an interviewer holds a position of great power and confidence.

Most of the celebrity writers despise being interviewed since it is an “unwarranted intrusion” into their lives. They feel that an interview diminishes them in one way or the other. Rudyard Kipling was quite scared of it. He called it to be immortal and a crime and an assault on his person. H.G. Wells referred it as an ordeal and compares it like “thumb prints on his windpipe.”

There are many sects with orthodox people who are averse to the idea of being photographed. They believe that if someone takes a photographic picture of somebody, he is stealing that person’s soul. He can command that person the way he desires. They think that in this process they lose a part of themselves.

Celebrities often feel that they have been made the beast of prey through interviews. Saul Bellow was interviewed on many occasions but he always felt uneasiness. Once he described interviews as being like thumbprints on his windpipe. He considered it as an assult on his person. It was because that the interviewer created too much tension and pressure to feel suffocated. He felt as if he had put his thumbprints on his windpipe.

In the modern world, the interview has become a commonplace of journalism. It is considered as a supremely serviceable medium of communication throughout the world. Over the years, several thousand celebrities have been interviewed. Through interview we get complete information about their feelings, principles and viewpoints. By questioning we interact with them and obtain their responses. We get most vivid impressions of our contemporaries only through interviews.

Umberto Eco has been interviewed by Mukund Padmanabhan from ‘The Hindu.’ During interview he does not show any despise or wrinkle. He freely answers the queries like V.S. Naipaul and he does not consider it as an unwarranted intrusion in one’s life. He is quite modest and considerate on every answer. When Mukund asks him how he can do all the things, Eco answers that he is always doing the same thing. Like Rudyard Kipling. Eco does not think the act of interviewing as immoral, crime or an assault. He cooperates with Mukund and shows interest.

According to H.G.Wells, interviewing is a sort of an ordeal but Eco expresses his ‘philosophical interests.’ He tells the secret of his work. He states that he works in empty spaces. He does not aggravate about the utmost success of his novel. The ‘Name of the Rose.’ But he tells even about the sale and other facts asked by Padmanabhan. Thus Umberto Eco does not present any sort of dislike for being interviewed.

David Lodge was a famous English novelist. He was much amazed how Umberto Eco could do all the things he did. Mukund Padmanabhan put the same question to Eco of writing scholarly works and the novels simultaneously. Eco answered very modestly. Revealing his secret, Eco remarked that he was always doing the same thing. Eco pointed out that he had some philosophical interests.

Eco tells that there are empty spaces in the universe. In the same way there are empty spaces in the lives of us all. He calls these empty spaces as ‘interstices or intervals. He explains his style of working in empty spaces through an example. He tells when he waits for somebody coming from the elevator from first to the third floor, he won’t sit idle. He would write during his arrival. Till the person arrives, he has already written an article. Thus by utilising these empty spaces he finds time to write so much. Mukund is much amazed at his dexterity.

Umberto Eco is known for as a writer of novels. His scholarly work is different from a more regular academic style. Mukund asks Eco about his use of informal style. Here Eco tells that most of the scholars first learn a lot about a subject. They make a lot of false hypotheses, correct them and put a final conclusion. In his case of research he put the method of ‘Trails and Errors.’ His professor agreed to it and his dissertation was published as a book. At the age of 22, he felt that even the scholarly books should be written by telling a story of one’s research. That was the reason that his essays had a narrative aspect. It was because of his narrative ability, he started writing novels. At the age of 50 he started writing novels, though somewhat late but he started writing by accident. Novels started his taste for narration. He even told that he was a university professor who wrote novels on Sundays. He participated in academic conferences to identify himself with the academic community. By writing novels, he had reached a large audience.

In his interview with Mukund Padmanabhan, Umberto Eco states that he started writing novels by accident. Novels satisfied his taste for narration. Further he says : “I am a professor who writes novels on Sundays.” All these facts clarify that Eco was not a full time novelist. He considers himself a regular academic scholar. Against 40 works of non-fiction, Eco has written only five novels. Eco feels proud in considering himself as a university professor. When he says he writes on Sundays, it signifies that Novel writing is his casual job. He points out that he does not go to pen clubs or writers. He participates in academic conferences. So he clearly identifies himself with the academic community. He identifies himself as a regular academic scholar than a novelist

Umberto Eco calls himself a professor rather than a novelist though people know him more as a novelist. His novel ‘The Name of the Rose’ is a grand success. It is a serious novel with a detective yarn. But it delves into metaphysics, theology and medieval history. On asking by Mukund about the success of the novel, Eco tells that it is a mystery. But Umberto tells that through the novel, he could reach to million readers and in the U.S. alone two or three million copies were sold. The total sale exceeded 10 to 15 million copies.

Eco agrees that the medieval period can be one of reasons for success but simultaneously he points out that a lot of books have been written about the medieval past far before him. Its success is doubtful in a country where nobody has seen a cathedral or studied Latin. They rather like reading trash. So the success of his novel is. a mystery. In addition to this Eco points out that in case it had been written ten years earlier or ten years later, perhaps it would not have got the same success.

It is a students’ activity. They must watch an interview of any celebrity on television by Prabhu Chawla, or read any other in a newspaper.

Then put down their views about their understanding of:

– the celebrity

– the interviewer, and

– the field of celebrity.

Interviews are held, generally, as per convenience of the celebrity. The interviewer goes to the place of the celebrity, takes the interview which is shot, and later telecasts for people or puts on air (by radio) or prints in a newspaper.

The best medium for an interview is television. Here the spectator can see the whole process of interviewing - its functionings, its methods, and its merits which, generally, vary considerably. The way the questions are put, the way the answers are given, the way the escapes of the celebrity are caught and made to extract as much as possible. It really teaches the technique to the spectators.

The life history, the secret of huge success of the celebrity, any allegation or criticism about or any such thing of public, social, state or national interest is brought before the spectator more reliably than the print or the air media.

The impressions, the gestures and even the impact of each side become alive in picture form before the spectators. Therefore, we generally enjoy the interviews more on television than either on print or radio. It brings us face to face with the truth and the reality of things.

The most celebrities usually take themselves as the victims of interviews. That is why, they despise interviews as an unwarranted intrusion into their lives. Or they say that interview somehow diminishes them.

Nobel laureate V. S. Naipaul feels that some people are wounded by interviews and lose a part of themselves. They feel by its unwarranted intrusion into their private lives about their very personal matters. It hurts them and takes away a part of them.

Most often the celebrity is embarrassed beyond description. They shower a question attack on his personal, very own possessions. That is why it is termed as immoral and a crime by Rudyard Kipling. He calls it cowardly and vile. No respectable man would ask it, much less give it.

Another Nobel laureate Saul Bellow is so much perturbed by the intrusion of interview in his privacy that he terms it as thumbprints on his windpipe.

A Report Sample Interview of Umberto Eco

By : Mukund Padmanabhan -the Hindu Delhi 10 April, the academic scholar Umberto Eco clears that he is a professor who writes novels on Sundays. He participates in academic conferences and not in meetings of pen clubs and writers. He identifies himself with the academic community being a professor.

He clears his theory of interstices, the empty spaces. He says that while waiting for the interviewers to reach him by lift from first floor to the third, he wrote one article. It is an empty space, such everyone has in his life.

He clears his novel ‘The Name of the Rose’ has a detective yarn with metaphysics, theology and medieval history. It has difficult experiences and people prefer to read only trash. Its huge success is still a mystery even to its writer Umberto Eco.

Umberto has written over 40 non fictional essays which include his seminal piece of work on semiotics. His books for children contain nonviolence and peace ... a bunch of ethical and philosophical interests.

Umberto states that his first doctoral dissertation was a narration of the story of his research, and his trials and errors. It was recognised, so it was published as a book.

Umberto Eco states that his dear friend Ronald Barthes remained always frustrated because he was an essayist and not a novelist. Though he wished to do some creative writing one day but he died before he could.

Umberto Eco clears that he started writing novels by accident. One day he had nothing to do, so he started writing a novel.

About the huge success of the novel, ‘The Name of the Rose’ he clears that if it had been written ten years earlier or ten years later, it would not have been the same.

Over the last 130 years, the interviews have become a commonplace of journalism. Almost everybody will have read an interview at some point during their life time. Several thousand celebrities have been interviewed over the years. It is a great serviceable medium of communication. The interviewer holds a position of unprecedented power and influence.

Most of the celebrities do not like to be interviewed at all. They consider it as an ‘unwarranted intrusion’ into their lives. According to V.S. Naipaul that a man loses a part of himself during an interview. Rudyard Kipling has more condemnatory attitude about the interviewer. He called the interview to be immoral, a crime, cowardly or vile.

Lewis Carroll is an author of the ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ He says that he has just a horror of the interviewer and has never consented to be interviewed. He has a lionized horror of interviews, the interviewers and the petitioners for his autographs.

Rudyard Kipling’s wife Caroline writes in her diary for October 14, 1892 that their day was wrecked by two reporters from Boston. She reports her husband saying. Why do I refuse to be interviewed? Because it is immoral! It is a crime, just as much as of a crime as an offence against my person, as an assault, and just as much merits punishment. It is cowardly and vile. No respectable man would ask it, much less give it.

In an interview 1894, H.G. Wells referred to ‘the interviewing ordeal’. But he was fairly a frequent interviewee. And forty years later he was found interviewing the Russian revolutionary leader Josheph Stalin. Thus he possessed contrasting views about it.

any celebrities discard the idea of being interviewed but over the years it has become a commonplace feature of journalism. It is a supremely serviceable medium of communication. It gives the most vivid impressions of our contemporaries. While interacting with the other we can attain the truth in its true and the simplest form.

Devis Brian possesses a very high opinion about the position of an interviewer. According to him one can almost get every thing of moment by questioning the other. Consequently, an interviewer holds a position of unprecedented power and influence among the class of educated people.

e who stated : “I can’t understand how one man can do all the things he (Eco) does.” To this Eco replies that he gives the impression of doing many things but otherwise he is doing the same thing. Through his academic work and novel he is rather pursuing his philosophical interests.

Umberto Eco tells the secret of his working style. He talks of empty spaces in the universe. He calls them ‘interstices’ or intervals. He says that when a man comes up by an elevator from first floor to the third to meet him, he has the time to write an article. He utilises these intervals for his creative work.

Umberto Eco’s books for the children are very much interesting and entertaining. They are devoid of violence. These smoothly progress the events with peace and patience -the bunch of ethical and philosophical interests. They all carry moral messages.

The Professor told that the scholars learn a lot from their subject. They make a list of false hypothesis. Then they correct and put the conclusions. Eco told that he himself had adopted the mode of trial and error method and he was found right in his approach. Accordingly his dissertation book was published.

It was at the age of 22, after presenting his first doctored dissertation, Eco learnt scholarly books should be written the way he had done in research work. It is a narrative form by telling the story of research. So his essays have a narrative aspect and they are liked by the readers.

Umberto Eco has some philosophical interests to pursue through his academic work and his novels. His books for children are about non-violence and peace. His essays have a narrative aspect showing his personal quality. His academic style is playful and it has a personal quality about it.

In his interview with Mukund, Eco states, “I am a professor who writes on Sundays. I participate in academic conferences and not at the meetings of pen clubs and writers. I identify myself with the academic community. I became a novelist only by an accident.”

“The Name of the Rose” is a detective and serious novel of Umberto Eco. It enjoyed a mass audience. It delves into metaphysics, theology and medieval history. It became popular because it gave the reader deep, varied and thought provoking material. Its sale of about 10-15 million copies was not just an accident. Even then its huge success is a mystery for Eco.

Mukund tells Eco that ‘The Name of the Rose’ got a huge success because of its medieval historical background. Eco did not seem to agree with it. A lot of books have been written about the medieval past much before him and they did not get much success. Perhaps his novel was written at the most appropriate time.

His publisher gave Eco an advance for 3,000 copies but 2 to 3 million copies of the novel were sold in the U.S.A. alone. The total sale raise up to 10 to 15 million copies. It speaks its popularity and taste of the people. His publisher thought that it was a serious novel. And in a country ‘Where nobody has seen or cathedral or studied Latin. Still the novel had got a good success

Umberto Eco’s non-fictional writing was personalised in all respects. It had a simple narrative and playful quality about it. The regular scholarly work is impersonalised, dry and boring. Eco’s style was a complete departure from the regular academic style. His regular academic style is ‘depersonalised and boring.’ In his research work he used ‘Trials and errors.’

Ronald Barthes was an essayist and not a novelist. So he remained frustrated throughout his life. Ronald had a strong desire to do some creative writing one day or the other but he died before he could do so. Eco had never such a frustration.

Umberto Eco tells Mukand that there are a lot of empty spaces in the lives of all. He calls them ‘interstices’ or intervals. He works in these empty spaces. When Mukand was waiting for his elevator to come up from the first to the third floor, during that time or space, Eco had already written an article. Thus by using those empty spaces Eco can find time to write so much.

An interview is a formal meeting, interaction or a kind of discussion with some one. In other sense it is the best mode of deducing truth, reality, opinion and viewpoint of people under way. It is a kind of conversation which aims at obtaining information. Especially one is a journalist who asks questions from some important public man and the same is published later on. It has got a wider implication both for the employer and the employee. A little over 130 years, it has become a commonplace of journalism. Every literate person has read or watched an interview at some point of his life. Over the years several thousands celebrities have been interviewed but some of them do not favour it.

An interview is a sort of screening, interaction and introspection. In the present day society, people are chased continuously for the interview. In form, function, method and merit people differ in their viewpoint but it is the highest form of truth. It is an art in practice. It is a supremely serviceable medium of communication in the modern age. It provides us the most vivid impressions of our contemporaries. Denis Brain has appropriately said that almost everything reaches us through one man asking questions of another. Hence the interviewer holds a position of unprecedented power and influence.

An interview has become an indispensable feature of journalism today. Some call it a great art. In the same way, some celebrities, criminals and victims are interviewed. The media interviews celebrities if they are involved in some care. The celebrities despise the interview as an unwarranted intrusion on their lives. It is like stealing of their souls and diminishes and tarnishes their status. Some people like V. S. Naipaul are wounded by interviews and feel a part of their personalities stolen. Lewis Carroll was said to have a just horror of the interviewer and he never consented to be interviewed, Caroline, the wife of Rudyard Kipling said that an interview is vile, crime and all offence. No respectable person, would ask it, much less give it. On the other hand H. G. Wells referred it to be an inter-viewing or deal. Nobel Laureate Saul Bellow took the interview like the thumb-prints on his windpipe. Thus opinions on the interview vary considerably.

In his interview with Mukand Padmanabhan, Umberto Eco points out that he is a university professor who writes novels on Sundays. Though he readily participates in academic conferences but he has no interest to attend to the meetings of Pen Clubs and the writers. He is very much clear about himself and identifies himself with the academic community. One can estimate that Eco is a modest cooperative and firm in his convictions. He does not call himself a successful novelist. Through his interview with Mukund we get aspects of his writings, style and ideas. Even then most of the people take him to be a novelist because of the huge success of his novel “The Name of the Rose” yet he remains committed to his regular professional academic work. In his novels for children one can find non-violence and peace.

In his philosophy and the secret of his work, Eco tells that there are empty spaces in the universe. He calls them ‘interstices’ and he works in them. He has written five novels. More than 40 scholarly works are at his credit including a book on semiotics. At a late age of 50 he first started writing novels by accident. In his writing, Eco follows a narrative aspect, i.e. an informal approach. It is a marked departure from the regular academic style. This narrative aspect of writing has brought a huge success to his novel, ‘The Name of the Rose.’ It includes experiences of metaphysics, theology and medieval history in its detective yarn. It has attracted a mass audience. It has narration and with its surprising praise, Eco thinks his success a mystery.

Umberto Eco has his interview with Padmanabhan of the Hindu. There he points out some very significant facts about him and his writing. He has no hesitation in himself for calling a university Professor who writes novels on Sundays. He has some philosophical interest that he pursues through his academic work. He is an excellent academician and has produced over 40 scholarly works. His style is narrative that satisfies his taste for writing. It is quite different from other scholarly writings. His children works are about non-violence and peace. These are his ethical and philosophical interests. Among them is a seminal piece of work on semiotics. He completely identifies himself with the academic community. At the age of 22, he presented his doctoral dissertation. He wrote it in a personalised narrative form. It was highly acclaimed. In a way it is his natural style of writing where he likes telling stories.

Umberto Eco shares his good secret with Mukund. He thinks that we have a lot of empty spaces in our lives. He uses them to his advantage. To these empty spaces, Eco calls them ‘interstices’ or intervals. He tells that if we eliminate the empty spaces from the universe, the world will shrink. It will become as big as a fish. Regarding his non-fictional style, Eco tells that it is different from his regular style. When he presented his doctoral dissertation, his professor observed him. Eco told the use of his ‘trials and errors’ method. His essays have a narrative aspect and later it was developed in his novels, ‘The Name of the Rose’ is a great success and he thinks that his success is a mystery.

Umberto Eco calls himself a university professor. Once he has his interview with Mukund Padmanabhan of ‘the Hindu’. There he reveals some important facts about him and his writing. He clearly states that he is a professor who writes novels on Sundays in the empty spaces. He tells his philosophical interests which he pursues through his academic work and his novels.

His books for children propagate nonviolence and peace. The children books are not only entertaining but are also full of ethical and philosophical interests. Because of the moral and philosophical messages, these books are liked by children very much.

In his academic works and novels, like his first doctoral dissertation in Itlay, he adopts a narrative aspect of writing. This narrative aspect satisfies his taste for writing. His famous novel ‘The Name of the Rose’ is one of his five novels which propagate his universal interest of philosophy. All his scholarly works, over forty including his book on semiotics, speak of his contribution in writing. Yet he prefers himself to be called a university professor who writes novels on Sundays.

Even his serious novel ‘The Name of the Rose’ enjoyed a huge mass audience because its detective yarn digging into metaphysics, theology and medieval history. Contrary to the people’s choice of trash, the easy things and, experiences, they preferred it.

In his interview Eco tells Mukund that through writing he reaches a larger audience. He points out his identification with the academic community. Immediately Mukund questioned Eco ‘How his novel The Name of the Rose’ is a very serious novel. It is a detective novel as well as it deals with metaphysics, theology and medieval history. Thus it is a deep and difficult novel. In a very modest and considerate mood, Eco replies that the most journalists and publishers believe that readers are in the habit of reading ‘trash material’ and they don’t like difficult reading experiences.

Eco further tells that the sale of his book has proved that it is not the truth. There are six billion people on this planet. Between 10 to 15 million copies of the novel have been sold. In a way it has reached only a small percentage of readers. This shows that readers do not want easy experiences. The novel deals with a period of medieval history. Mukund questions and it could be the reason of its success. But Eco tells that a lot of books were written about the medieval history before his novel. Eco says that the success of his book is a mystery for him.

In his interview Eco tells Mukund that through writing he reaches a larger audience. Mukund questioned Eco how his novel, The Name of the Rose’ is a very serious novel. This detective novel deals with metaphysics, theology and medieval history. Thus it is a deep and difficult novel. Eco replies that the most generalists and publishers beleve that readers are in the habit of reading ‘trash material’ and they don’t like difficult reading experiences.

Eco tells him that the sale of the book has proved it wrong. Between 10 to 15 million copies of the novel have been sold. In a way it has reached only a small percentage of readers. This shows that readers do not want easy experiences. The novel deals with a period of medieval history. Mukund questions that it could be the reason behind its success. But Eco tells that a lot of books were written about the medieval history before his novel. Eco says that the success of his book is a mystory for him. Even the journalists and publishers were puzzled at its success. Perhaps it was written at the most appropriate time.