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 |
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Page 124
... you heard ? Warner and Semple . D'you mean to say you haven't heard ? I sh'd have thought- 99 " I sh'd have thought you'd ' ave been the first to hear , " said Jackson , with a laugh . " I sh'd think Warner's pretty proud of himself ...
... you heard ? Warner and Semple . D'you mean to say you haven't heard ? I sh'd have thought- 99 " I sh'd have thought you'd ' ave been the first to hear , " said Jackson , with a laugh . " I sh'd think Warner's pretty proud of himself ...
Page 165
... you're short " " Take it . " " No , it's quite all right . " " What the hell d'you mean ? Take it . I don't want you to give me money . " He accented , or so John fancied , the words " you " and " me " , and flung the two coins down on ...
... you're short " " Take it . " " No , it's quite all right . " " What the hell d'you mean ? Take it . I don't want you to give me money . " He accented , or so John fancied , the words " you " and " me " , and flung the two coins down on ...
Page 205
... you was brought up ? " Whitbread caught John up as he was walking wretchedly into the cloisters . “ Here , Kemp , if I were you I'd get leave to go home for a couple of days . " John was touched by the concerned note in his voice . " D'you ...
... you was brought up ? " Whitbread caught John up as he was walking wretchedly into the cloisters . “ Here , Kemp , if I were you I'd get leave to go home for a couple of days . " John was touched by the concerned note in his voice . " D'you ...
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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