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 65
... noticed the time shown by the bar clock , which alarmed him and made him leave hurriedly to get back in time for dinner . He did not know it would be fast . During dinner he thought constantly of the pound : it was the second of the ...
... noticed the time shown by the bar clock , which alarmed him and made him leave hurriedly to get back in time for dinner . He did not know it would be fast . During dinner he thought constantly of the pound : it was the second of the ...
Page 82
... noticed the number of notebooks Kemp was using up and the number of books he borrowed from the school library , and the pallor of his face . He had always , of course , worked hard , but effortlessly , within his own capacity : now ...
... noticed the number of notebooks Kemp was using up and the number of books he borrowed from the school library , and the pallor of his face . He had always , of course , worked hard , but effortlessly , within his own capacity : now ...
Page 113
... noticed the Green Leaf only a few doors down the road . He was there before he remembered its importance , but with an obstinate expression he pushed open the door and went in . His first phase of sheer puzzlement had gone . What ...
... noticed the Green Leaf only a few doors down the road . He was there before he remembered its importance , but with an obstinate expression he pushed open the door and went in . His first phase of sheer puzzlement had gone . What ...
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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