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
Results 1-3 of 61
Page 36
... began collecting the used tea - things on a tray , working swiftly and methodically while they watched . " You know I'm entitled to take your dusters ? " he said , glancing up . " For the cleaning- 99 " Oh , yes , of course . They ...
... began collecting the used tea - things on a tray , working swiftly and methodically while they watched . " You know I'm entitled to take your dusters ? " he said , glancing up . " For the cleaning- 99 " Oh , yes , of course . They ...
Page 136
... began writing about her in the third person , about how she sat play- ing the piano in the evening , then tore it up . Then he wrote about her getting up in the morning , and tore that up . At last he began to put down what he had told ...
... began writing about her in the third person , about how she sat play- ing the piano in the evening , then tore it up . Then he wrote about her getting up in the morning , and tore that up . At last he began to put down what he had told ...
Page 152
... began trying to fill in the whole year with entries , hoping secretly to create one year of her life , that he could amplify with little poems about spring and autumn and letters of thanks for birthday and Christmas presents . But it ...
... began trying to fill in the whole year with entries , hoping secretly to create one year of her life , that he could amplify with little poems about spring and autumn and letters of thanks for birthday and Christmas presents . But it ...
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 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