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 57
Page 11
... never drinks the lees of his wine . " Norman at once set about roughing - up my general character and assumptions . Any action or even word implying respect for qualities such as punctuality , prudence , thrift or respectability called ...
... never drinks the lees of his wine . " Norman at once set about roughing - up my general character and assumptions . Any action or even word implying respect for qualities such as punctuality , prudence , thrift or respectability called ...
Page 61
... never do to let Christopher think he had never drunk before , as was the case ; that was something to be hoarded up till it had ripened into an anecdote . He imagined himself saying in the future : " D'you remember that time we went to ...
... never do to let Christopher think he had never drunk before , as was the case ; that was something to be hoarded up till it had ripened into an anecdote . He imagined himself saying in the future : " D'you remember that time we went to ...
Page 207
... never see him throwing much money away , and he cadges a good deal . He'd cadge off anyone - he'd cadge off you , if you were fool enough to let him , and I'll wager he wouldn't pay you back . Oh , I've got no time for his sort . " John ...
... never see him throwing much money away , and he cadges a good deal . He'd cadge off anyone - he'd cadge off you , if you were fool enough to let him , and I'll wager he wouldn't pay you back . Oh , I've got no time for his sort . " John ...
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