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 126
... damn great cupboard without making the devil of a din , and as luck would have it , the man was in bed . At least , he pretty quickly got up and came out into the sitting - room . He was sporting rather an offensive line in blue - and ...
... damn great cupboard without making the devil of a din , and as luck would have it , the man was in bed . At least , he pretty quickly got up and came out into the sitting - room . He was sporting rather an offensive line in blue - and ...
Page 127
... Damn good , Chris ! Damn good ! " In fact he liked the story so much that when Semple complained to the Dean and Christopher had to pay three pounds damages , he and some friends of his caught Semple unawares and " crucified " him with ...
... Damn good , Chris ! Damn good ! " In fact he liked the story so much that when Semple complained to the Dean and Christopher had to pay three pounds damages , he and some friends of his caught Semple unawares and " crucified " him with ...
Page 185
... damn it , what's it got to do " " Try , and find out . " Eddy looked at his watch , an expensive one : his father was an official in India . " Damn baby snatcher . " He added a comment of exceptional indecency , which made John flush ...
... damn it , what's it got to do " " Try , and find out . " Eddy looked at his watch , an expensive one : his father was an official in India . " Damn baby snatcher . " He added a comment of exceptional indecency , which made John flush ...
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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