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 60
... stood talking casually , the collars of their coats turned up , discussing where they should go of an evening . He had a keen sensation of their presence , like the smell of a fine cloth or leather . The night before their second ...
... stood talking casually , the collars of their coats turned up , discussing where they should go of an evening . He had a keen sensation of their presence , like the smell of a fine cloth or leather . The night before their second ...
Page 189
... stood for three minutes to shelter on the steps of All Saints ' Church by the ' bus stop , looking at the lights in ... stood where she had stood all the evening , dressed in white , in a corner , turning and turning one tiny unemptied ...
... stood for three minutes to shelter on the steps of All Saints ' Church by the ' bus stop , looking at the lights in ... stood where she had stood all the evening , dressed in white , in a corner , turning and turning one tiny unemptied ...
Page 212
... stood at the kerb , a sweetshop was open . Pulling his thoughts together , he started off . Kilbury was some distance from his home , and it would take three - quarters of an hour's quick walking to reach it . If his house and parents ...
... stood at the kerb , a sweetshop was open . Pulling his thoughts together , he started off . Kilbury was some distance from his home , and it would take three - quarters of an hour's quick walking to reach it . If his house and parents ...
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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