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 75
... eyes on his face , smiling en- couragingly , shifting his hat in his hands . " If - if you think I could , " he said hesitatingly . " Eh , well , that's up to you , lad . " Joe Kemp chuckled and put an arm round his son's shoulders ...
... eyes on his face , smiling en- couragingly , shifting his hat in his hands . " If - if you think I could , " he said hesitatingly . " Eh , well , that's up to you , lad . " Joe Kemp chuckled and put an arm round his son's shoulders ...
Page 201
... eyes on the door , seriously , his hand moving in surprise round the bow tie he was wearing . The feet mounted the steps , approaching the door . Two knocks . " Come in . " Elizabeth entered . He blinked . His first thought was that she ...
... eyes on the door , seriously , his hand moving in surprise round the bow tie he was wearing . The feet mounted the steps , approaching the door . Two knocks . " Come in . " Elizabeth entered . He blinked . His first thought was that she ...
Page 236
... eyes , wanting to start moving round to the left . It was painful to struggle against this , and he closed his eyes again . Once more his chair began to sink side- ways . It seemed necessary that he should get some fresh air and find a ...
... eyes , wanting to start moving round to the left . It was painful to struggle against this , and he closed his eyes again . Once more his chair began to sink side- ways . It seemed necessary that he should get some fresh air and find a ...
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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