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 71
... year , I mean ? " " I suppose so , yes , sir . " " What are you going to do ? " " Don't know , sir . " " No ideas at all ? ” " I suppose I shall go into some sort of office , sir . " Mr. Crouch grinned . " Ever thought of staying on 71.
... year , I mean ? " " I suppose so , yes , sir . " " What are you going to do ? " " Don't know , sir . " " No ideas at all ? ” " I suppose I shall go into some sort of office , sir . " Mr. Crouch grinned . " Ever thought of staying on 71.
Page 110
... grinning and stamping , shaking the wet off his brown pork - pie hat and taking off his raincoat with a stiff , rustling sound . They started a wrangle about this , which John listened to with amusement . " And when I do come , through ...
... grinning and stamping , shaking the wet off his brown pork - pie hat and taking off his raincoat with a stiff , rustling sound . They started a wrangle about this , which John listened to with amusement . " And when I do come , through ...
Page 119
... grinned and turned the coins over , selecting two half - crowns , a shilling , a sixpence and six pennies . " Here , will that do to be going on with ? ” " Thank you . " John looked at it and made an effort to count it . " Thirteen to ...
... grinned and turned the coins over , selecting two half - crowns , a shilling , a sixpence and six pennies . " Here , will that do to be going on with ? ” " Thank you . " John looked at it and made an effort to count it . " Thirteen to ...
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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