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 21
... overcoat . The lapels of it curled outwards and creases dragged from the buttons . His face was thin , and perhaps strained ; the expression round his mouth was ready to become taut , and a small frown lingered on his forehead . His ...
... overcoat . The lapels of it curled outwards and creases dragged from the buttons . His face was thin , and perhaps strained ; the expression round his mouth was ready to become taut , and a small frown lingered on his forehead . His ...
Page 46
... overcoat and strolled into the town : was there nothing else , then , till next Friday , a week hence ? What was he going to do ? It seemed wrong to waste so many hours of the day . What should he do next - start working immediately ...
... overcoat and strolled into the town : was there nothing else , then , till next Friday , a week hence ? What was he going to do ? It seemed wrong to waste so many hours of the day . What should he do next - start working immediately ...
Page 163
... overcoat behind . She could not have gone far , her whole attitude had been casual ; her hands in the pockets of her coat , she had looked at the room with complete unconcern , as if it had noth- ing to do with her . He looked this way ...
... overcoat behind . She could not have gone far , her whole attitude had been casual ; her hands in the pockets of her coat , she had looked at the room with complete unconcern , as if it had noth- ing to do with her . He looked this way ...
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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