🌈 The Interview – Class 12 English (Flamingo)

📖 About the Author

• Christopher Silvester – British journalist and writer.
• Worked as a foreign correspondent and had a keen observation of human behaviour.
• Known for his satirical and humorous writing style, often pointing out human weaknesses and follies.

📜 Summary of The Interview

1️⃣ The Setting

• The story is set in a job interview for a clerk’s post in the civil services.
• The narrator, a young man, is nervous and anxious before the interview.
• The interview room has a formal, intimidating atmosphere, with the panel sitting behind a large desk.

2️⃣ The Candidate’s Nervousness

• The candidate, the narrator, feels self-conscious and insecure.
• He worries about his appearance, handwriting, and speech.
• Every minor action seems to him important and potentially disastrous.

3️⃣ The Interview Begins

• The panel asks routine questions about general knowledge, history, and current affairs.
• The narrator tries his best but feels hesitant and awkward.
• His mind keeps wandering to trivial details, making him more anxious.

4️⃣ Humour and Irony

• The story humourously portrays how ordinary people feel in formal situations.
• The interviewer’s casual tone contrasts sharply with the candidate’s panic, creating comic tension.
• The candidate often overthinks answers or gives obvious responses in a convoluted way.

5️⃣ The Outcome

• At the end, the candidate feels relieved but unsure about his performance.
• The story ends open-ended, leaving readers to imagine whether he succeeded or not.
• Silvester emphasizes that interviews are as much about nerves and confidence as knowledge.

🎭 Character Sketches

🧑 The Candidate (Narrator)

• Young, educated, but insecure and nervous.
• Obsessed with self-presentation and impressing the panel.
• Represents ordinary people facing high-pressure situations.

👨‍⚖️ The Interviewers

• Calm, professional, and observant.
• Seem intimidating to the candidate but are essentially routine in their questioning.
• Symbolise authority and societal expectation.

🌟 Themes

1. Nervousness and Human Weakness – Shows how ordinary people become anxious in formal situations.
2. Authority and Intimidation – Power dynamics of interview panels over candidates.
3. Humour and Irony – Ordinary situations can be funny when observed closely.
4. Preparation vs. Confidence – Knowledge alone does not ensure success; self-confidence matters.
5. Psychological Realism – Focus on the inner feelings of the candidate, revealing human vulnerability.

✨ Important Lines & Explanation

1. “I felt my knees were knocking each other.”
   👉 Shows extreme nervousness and physical manifestation of anxiety.
2. “Why did they make such faces?”
   👉 Humorous exaggeration reflecting the candidate’s overthinking and paranoia.
3. “I tried to remember what I had read the night before.”
   👉 Highlights his last-minute preparation and stress.

📚 NCERT Questions & Answers

🔹 Short Answer (30–40 words)

Q1. How does the narrator feel before the interview?
👉 The narrator is extremely nervous, self-conscious, and anxious. He worries about his appearance, speech, and knowledge, imagining every possible mistake that could make him fail.

Q2. What is ironic about the narrator’s reactions during the interview?
👉 While the interviewers are calm and routine, the narrator overthinks and panics. His minor mistakes feel catastrophic to him, which is ironic and humorous.

Q3. Why is the story called “The Interview”?
👉 The story revolves entirely around a job interview, highlighting the candidate’s anxiety, thought process, and interaction with authority. The title is direct and sets the context.

🔹 Long Answer (120–150 words)

Q. How does Silvester use humour and irony in “The Interview”?
👉 Silvester observes the ordinary yet stressful experience of a job interview. He uses humour in exaggerating the narrator’s panic—imagining that the panel frowns at trivial mistakes or that every glance judges him harshly. Irony appears when the candidate worries about details the interviewers hardly notice, showing a contrast between perceived and actual pressure. Through these devices, the story makes readers laugh while also empathising with the nervousness that comes from high expectations and societal pressure. The humour and irony enhance the psychological realism and highlight human vulnerability.

🎨 Figures of Speech

• Humour → Exaggeration of nervous thoughts.
• Irony → Candidate’s panic vs. interviewers’ routine.
• Hyperbole → “My knees were knocking each other.”
• Imagery → Description of the room, panel, and anxiety.

📝 Extra Questions for Practice

1. Describe the setting of the interview room.
2. What role does confidence play in the candidate’s performance?
3. How does Silvester depict ordinary human nervousness?
4. Why do you think the author leaves the ending open?
5. Write a character sketch of the candidate.

🌸 Conclusion

“The Interview” by Christopher Silvester is a humorous and relatable story. It explores the anxiety of facing authority, overthinking, and the human tendency to exaggerate problems. Through humour, irony, and vivid psychological portrayal, the story teaches that self-confidence and calmness are as important as preparation. It is a timeless reflection of human nature, making it both entertaining and insightful.