THE INTERVIEW
Short Answer Questions:
1. Why did Umberto Eco prefer himself to be called an academician than a novelist?
Ans. While Eco gained recognition as a novelist, he primarily aligned himself with the academic
world during the initial half of his life. He delved into fiction writing when he was about fifty years
old. His primary identification was with the academic community, and he turned to writing fiction
only when he wasn’t deeply engrossed in scholarly pursuits.
2. Why do most celebrity writers despise being interviewed?
Or
What are the views of writers like V.S. Naipaul and Lewis Carroll on interviews?
Ans. Celebrities such as V.S. Naipaul, Rudyard Kipling, Lewis Carroll, and H.G. Wells have openly
shared their dislike for interviews. They believe that interviews are wrong and invasive because
they believe that interviews can have a negative impact on their image and invade their personal
space.
3. What was unique and distinctive about Eco’s academic writing style?
Or
What do you learn about Umberto Eco’s distinctive style in his doctoral dissertation?
Ans. Umberto Eco way of writing for academic purposes is personal, relaxed, and fun. He includes
all the challenges and mistakes in his research stories, making even his research work as unique
as creative writing and reading. It is not just informative but also captivating.
4. State the reason for the huge success of the novel, “The Name of the Rose”.
Ans. The novel ‘The Name of the Rose’ achieved great success for various reasons, and even its
author, Umberto Eco, found this success somewhat mysterious. Perhaps one key factor was that
this detective story, which explored metaphysics, theology, and medieval history, captured the
interest of readers because it was released at just the right time, neither too early nor too late.
5. “The Name of the Rose” deals with medieval history. Was it responsible for the novel’s
success?
Ans. The novel ‘The Name of the Rose’ became popular for several reasons, not just one. Many
other books talked about medieval history, but they didn’t become as famous. Its success is
because it came out at the right time, it had an interesting storytelling style like a detective story,
and it explored deep ideas about metaphysics and theology, in addition to medieval history.
Long Answer Questions:
1. What made the American publisher think that the novel ‘The Name of the Rose’ won’t sell
in America? What actually happened? What was the secret of its success?
Or
What is the reason for the huge success of the novel “The Name of the Rose” according to
Umberto Eco?
Ans. The American publisher thought that people prefer easy-to-read stuff, but “The Name of the
Rose” explored deep topics like metaphysics, theology, and medieval history, which can be tough
to digest. Umberto Eco, the author, believed that his book, which sold around 10 to 15 million
copies, appealed to a small group of readers. These readers didn’t want simple stories all the time;
they liked challenging reads.
Eco couldn’t exactly explain why “The Name of the Rose” became so popular. He considered it a
mystery. He thought maybe readers found the mix of a detective story with deep subjects
intriguing, and the timing of its release played a big role. If it came out a bit earlier or later, it
might not have been as successful.
The book surprised everyone by becoming a hit despite its complex content. Eco became famous
as a novelist rather than just an academic scholar because of it.
2. What do you think about Umberto Eco? Does he like being interviewed? Give reasons in
support of your answer from the text ‘The Interview’.
Ans. Unlike many other famous people who dislike interviews and see them as an intrusion into
their private lives, Umberto Eco seems to enjoy giving interviews. He answers the questions from
the interviewer, Mukund Padmanabhan, with enthusiasm. Eco answers honestly and sincerely,
providing detailed responses. This shows that he doesn’t mind sharing his experiences with
others. He doesn’t rush to finish the interview and makes sure to address all of Padmanabhan’s
questions. This makes the interviewer feel welcomed and appreciated.
3. Why did Umberto Eco start writing novels and when? What does Eco say about the huge
success of his novel, ‘The Name of the Rose’ in spite of it being a difficult and very serious
novel?
Ans. Umberto Eco was mainly an academic who mostly wrote scholarly papers. He didn’t plan to
be a novelist, but he started writing novels when he was nearly fifty years old. Eco describes
himself as a university professor who only writes novels on Sundays.
He is not exactly sure why his novel The Name of the Rose became so popular. He thinks the
timing of when it was published might be the main reason. The book is interesting because, on
one hand, its like a detective story, but it also talks about deep subjects like metaphysics, theology,
and medieval history.
Even though The Name of the Rose is a bit challenging to read, it became popular with a lot of
people, and Eco became known more as a novelist than an academic scholar.