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 27
... dark dry hair brushed back from his forehead , and a square , stubbly jaw . His nose was thick and his shoulders broad ; John felt a twinge of distrust . He wore a dark grey lounge suit and dark blue shirt and on his right hand was a ...
... dark dry hair brushed back from his forehead , and a square , stubbly jaw . His nose was thick and his shoulders broad ; John felt a twinge of distrust . He wore a dark grey lounge suit and dark blue shirt and on his right hand was a ...
Page 134
... dark when Eddy had one of his boring fits of bravado , during which he keeps badgering one to dare him to do something . In the end I said : All right , Eddy , go into the Union there and smash the first glass door you see . All right ...
... dark when Eddy had one of his boring fits of bravado , during which he keeps badgering one to dare him to do something . In the end I said : All right , Eddy , go into the Union there and smash the first glass door you see . All right ...
Page 135
... dark gardens , walking up and down the pitch- black great lawn . The next day he tried again , even starting again on a fresh sheet , but he could manage nothing but a few scanty reminis- cences of their holiday in Wales . Softly , as ...
... dark gardens , walking up and down the pitch- black great lawn . The next day he tried again , even starting again on a fresh sheet , but he could manage nothing but a few scanty reminis- cences of their holiday in Wales . Softly , as ...
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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