Jill: A NovelThe novel is set in wartime Oxford, the city in which it was written. Protagonist John Kemp is a young man from "Huddlesford" in Lancashire, who goes up to Oxford. With great sympathy it analyses his emotions at this first experience of privileged southern life (he had never been south of Crewe). Socially awkward and inexperienced, Kemp is attracted by the reckless and dissipated life of his roommate Christopher Warner, a well-off southerner who has attended a minor public school, tellingly called "Lamprey College". The eponymous Jill is Kemp's imaginary sister, whom he invents to confound Warner. Kemp then discovers a real-life Jill called Gillian, the 15-year-old cousin of Warner's friend Elizabeth. Kemp becomes infatuated with Gillian, but his advances are thwarted by Elizabeth and rebuffed by Gillian |
From inside the book
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Page 142
... Minerva herself . She privately supposed Jill was too lazy to do so . Jill could imitate Minerva's handwriting , her bearing and the way she folded her hands , but it was all of no avail . Minerva's remote indifference she could not ...
... Minerva herself . She privately supposed Jill was too lazy to do so . Jill could imitate Minerva's handwriting , her bearing and the way she folded her hands , but it was all of no avail . Minerva's remote indifference she could not ...
Page 143
... Minerva's half - holiday to Minerva by spending it walking alone in the country , but one morning the Headmistress announced that it would be utilized to allow the school to watch the hockey match against St. Bride's School . which was ...
... Minerva's half - holiday to Minerva by spending it walking alone in the country , but one morning the Headmistress announced that it would be utilized to allow the school to watch the hockey match against St. Bride's School . which was ...
Page 147
... Minerva saying through the open glass partition : " The school , please . " " Got to go slow , Miss . Fog's coming on . " " Very well . " The taxi crawled off down the main street of Mallerton , past the Corn Exchange , the driver ...
... Minerva saying through the open glass partition : " The school , please . " " Got to go slow , Miss . Fog's coming on . " " Very well . " The taxi crawled off down the main street of Mallerton , past the Corn Exchange , the driver ...
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Common terms and phrases
afternoon asked Banbury Road beer began bottle bread Chris Christo Christopher Warner Christopher's cigarette College Crouch d'you damn dark desk door drink Eddy Eddy's Edward du Cann Elizabeth empty eyes face feel felt fire fountain pen gave Gavin Bone girl glass grinned hair Hallo hands head Higher School Certificate Huddlesford Jill Joe Kemp John heard John Kemp John's Junior Common Room knew Lamprey laugh laughter leaving letter light listened looked round mind Minerva morning mouth never night noticed overcoat Oxford Patrick Patrick Dowling paused pher pocket porter pulled pushed remember seemed sherry glasses sitting smiled smoke sofa sound stared stood stopped street talking teacake Thank there's thing thought took town turned Tutor voice walked watched Whitbread window wondered