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 61
... turned left on leaving the great gates . The bells were chiming for half - past six , and from the centre of the town came a mournful hooting of traffic , while from a taxi - rank near by a telephone rang persistently . The night air ...
... turned left on leaving the great gates . The bells were chiming for half - past six , and from the centre of the town came a mournful hooting of traffic , while from a taxi - rank near by a telephone rang persistently . The night air ...
Page 182
... turned into a family party , properly bitched up . " " And you didn't get a chance to , well , pop the question ? " " No , but I'll tell you something , Elizabeth's turned all stand- offish again , I've noticed it all night . She's gone ...
... turned into a family party , properly bitched up . " " And you didn't get a chance to , well , pop the question ? " " No , but I'll tell you something , Elizabeth's turned all stand- offish again , I've noticed it all night . She's gone ...
Page 189
... turning and returning motion like a crowd of gulls . Knowing their desires they went straight for them . And although he knew his , going straight for them was like firing a gun in a dream ... turning and turning one tiny unemptied glass 189.
... turning and returning motion like a crowd of gulls . Knowing their desires they went straight for them . And although he knew his , going straight for them was like firing a gun in a dream ... turning and turning one tiny unemptied glass 189.
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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