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 43
... glass of water ? " " Yes , of course- John filled a tooth - glass and handed it to him . “ Thanks , ” said Christopher , his forehead wrinkling as he drank . " Ah , that's better . Did I cat last night ? ” " Er - I beg your- " Did I cat ...
... glass of water ? " " Yes , of course- John filled a tooth - glass and handed it to him . “ Thanks , ” said Christopher , his forehead wrinkling as he drank . " Ah , that's better . Did I cat last night ? ” " Er - I beg your- " Did I cat ...
Page 134
... glass door you see . All right , he said , and straightway disappeared into porch . None of us had the least idea he'd be crazy enough to do it , but just as we were assuring each other that he'd come out in the end with his tail ...
... glass door you see . All right , he said , and straightway disappeared into porch . None of us had the least idea he'd be crazy enough to do it , but just as we were assuring each other that he'd come out in the end with his tail ...
Page 217
... glass . " I've had a time , I have . I don't hardly know what I'm doing , why I'm here or anything . I came over from Manchester on Wednesday to see the branch here - Fowler's , you know ; business trip , firm's petrol , bring the wife ...
... glass . " I've had a time , I have . I don't hardly know what I'm doing , why I'm here or anything . I came over from Manchester on Wednesday to see the branch here - Fowler's , you know ; business trip , firm's petrol , bring the wife ...
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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