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 45
... desk , and with a weary movement he went to answer it , so John looked round the room . It was decorated in pink and grey , and with its light oak bookcase was almost like a drawing - room . A bronze head of a boy stood where the sun ...
... desk , and with a weary movement he went to answer it , so John looked round the room . It was decorated in pink and grey , and with its light oak bookcase was almost like a drawing - room . A bronze head of a boy stood where the sun ...
Page 66
... desk . Mr. Crouch was not a good - looking man . He was rather short , with a sallow , yellowish skin , untidy hair and features of a slightly Mongolian cast . When he smiled , his face split into a malevolent crease , and though he was ...
... desk . Mr. Crouch was not a good - looking man . He was rather short , with a sallow , yellowish skin , untidy hair and features of a slightly Mongolian cast . When he smiled , his face split into a malevolent crease , and though he was ...
Page 119
... desk . " " That's awfully white of you , old man . Thanks a lot . I'd clean forgotten . ' " " He sat down at the desk and spread the sheets of paper out , switching on the reading lamp with a careless movement . John was content to be ...
... desk . " " That's awfully white of you , old man . Thanks a lot . I'd clean forgotten . ' " " He sat down at the desk and spread the sheets of paper out , switching on the reading lamp with a careless movement . John was content to be ...
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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