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 14
... himself and trotted over to us . " I've been working on this , " he said , as soon as introductions were com- pleted . " Listen . This is when you're firing in a ravine . " We listened . " And this when you're firing in a ravine and 14.
... himself and trotted over to us . " I've been working on this , " he said , as soon as introductions were com- pleted . " Listen . This is when you're firing in a ravine . " We listened . " And this when you're firing in a ravine and 14.
Page 15
... listened again . Norman's appreciative laughter skirled freely : I stood silent . For the first time I felt myself in the presence of a talent greater than my own . No one who knew Kingsley at that time would deny that what chiefly ...
... listened again . Norman's appreciative laughter skirled freely : I stood silent . For the first time I felt myself in the presence of a talent greater than my own . No one who knew Kingsley at that time would deny that what chiefly ...
Page 81
... listened to what Joe Kemp had to say for three minutes he began nodding his head wisely , in order to halt Joe's monologue by suggesting that he knew everything he was going to say next . " Yes , " he said . " Yes . . . yes . . . . What ...
... listened to what Joe Kemp had to say for three minutes he began nodding his head wisely , in order to halt Joe's monologue by suggesting that he knew everything he was going to say next . " Yes , " he said . " Yes . . . yes . . . . What ...
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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