JillThe 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 71
... Crouch thank him politely and shuffled off to his class- room . When he took that particular form , it was the last period of the day , and the lights were on . Outside cars and lorries ploughed through the rain along the road that ran ...
... Crouch thank him politely and shuffled off to his class- room . When he took that particular form , it was the last period of the day , and the lights were on . Outside cars and lorries ploughed through the rain along the road that ran ...
Page 75
... Crouch kept his eyes on his face , smiling encouragingly , shifting his hat in his hands . " If you think I'm - good enough ? ” " No danger - eh , Mr. Crouch ? No danger ! " From this night onwards , Mr. Crouch regarded himself as John ...
... Crouch kept his eyes on his face , smiling encouragingly , shifting his hat in his hands . " If you think I'm - good enough ? ” " No danger - eh , Mr. Crouch ? No danger ! " From this night onwards , Mr. Crouch regarded himself as John ...
Page 82
... Crouch , and feeling too weary to struggle against the alliance . He pushed his hair back and bent his attention to the book again . Resistance was useless . Not even Mr. Crouch had foreseen the energy with which John threw himself into ...
... Crouch , and feeling too weary to struggle against the alliance . He pushed his hair back and bent his attention to the book again . Resistance was useless . Not even Mr. Crouch had foreseen the energy with which John threw himself into ...
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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 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