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
Results 1-3 of 25
Page 77
... overcoat and no school cap , and Mr. Crouch saw him for a moment as merely an undistinguished boy of sixteen , who might be earning his living in a shop or as a clerk in some sort of office . " Hallo , Kemp ; come in . I'm glad you've ...
... overcoat and no school cap , and Mr. Crouch saw him for a moment as merely an undistinguished boy of sixteen , who might be earning his living in a shop or as a clerk in some sort of office . " Hallo , Kemp ; come in . I'm glad you've ...
Page 165
... overcoat Whitbread had on a black jacket and a pair of striped trousers that made him look like an office - boy . " Do we pass a postbox ? " inquired John , knowing that Whitbread could be relied upon to know such things . " We can do ...
... overcoat Whitbread had on a black jacket and a pair of striped trousers that made him look like an office - boy . " Do we pass a postbox ? " inquired John , knowing that Whitbread could be relied upon to know such things . " We can do ...
Page 220
... overcoat and hanging a towel round his neck , he pushed open the door . Christopher , Eddy and Patrick were sitting round an enormous coal fire drinking bottled beer and smoking cigars . The air was hot and smelt richly . " Oh , come ...
... overcoat and hanging a towel round his neck , he pushed open the door . Christopher , Eddy and Patrick were sitting round an enormous coal fire drinking bottled beer and smoking cigars . The air was hot and smelt richly . " Oh , come ...
Other editions - View all
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