The Interview — NCERT Solutions

Eco’s academic writing was distinctive because it was personal, playful, and narrative instead of dry and impersonal. He wrote scholarly work by telling the story of his research, including his trials and errors, rather than presenting only final conclusions in a stiff academic style.

Umberto Eco considered himself an academic scholar first. He says clearly, “I am a university professor who writes novels on Sundays.” He identifies himself with the academic community and not primarily with novelists.

The huge success of The Name of the Rose is presented as a mystery in the chapter. Eco says it cannot be predicted why a book succeeds. He feels its success may have depended on the time at which it appeared, but there is no single definite reason. Even he cannot explain it fully.

A good answer would mention a real interview you have seen or read. For example, an interview can help us understand the celebrity’s personality, views, and experiences more closely. It also shows the interviewer’s style of questioning—whether polite, direct, or probing. In addition, it helps us learn more about the celebrity’s field of work, such as literature, cinema, sports, or politics. Such interviews make the person seem more real and human, not just famous.

This is an open-ended preference question. There is no single correct answer from the chapter. A student may choose print, radio, or television and give reasons such as convenience, clarity, or visual impact.

Yes, famous people have a right to privacy, and interviewers should respect that. While interviews can be informative, asking very personal or embarrassing questions may make celebrities uncomfortable and can seem intrusive. Good interviewers should focus on matters relevant to the person’s work, ideas, and public life rather than trying to expose private details. At the same time, a balanced interview can still be honest and interesting without being rude.

Mukund Padmanabhan interviewed Umberto Eco, the Italian scholar and novelist. Eco explained that he considers himself a university professor who writes novels on Sundays. He spoke about the unity behind his varied work: his academic writing, essays, children’s books, and novels all reflect the same ethical and philosophical interests. He also said he works in the interstices of life, using empty spaces of time to write. Eco described his scholarly style as narrative and personal, based on telling the story of research rather than merely listing conclusions. He revealed that he began writing novels by accident at about the age of fifty. Referring to the success of The Name of the Rose, he said that its huge popularity was a mystery and that such success cannot really be predicted.