Jill: A NovelThe 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 34
... Christopher saw them to the gate . Evening had more than begun to fall , and John heard them go laughing round the cloisters . Left alone , he sat dejectedly down on the sofa , among the litter of dirty china , feeling that if he were ...
... Christopher saw them to the gate . Evening had more than begun to fall , and John heard them go laughing round the cloisters . Left alone , he sat dejectedly down on the sofa , among the litter of dirty china , feeling that if he were ...
Page 48
... Christopher retorted by belching grossly as the door closed . " Who was that sucker ? " he demanded loudly . " I'm getting definitely fed , yes , quite definitely fed , with them all . " He rolled up his shirt sleeves , and let his tie ...
... Christopher retorted by belching grossly as the door closed . " Who was that sucker ? " he demanded loudly . " I'm getting definitely fed , yes , quite definitely fed , with them all . " He rolled up his shirt sleeves , and let his tie ...
Page 58
... Christopher about money . Christopher insisted that Eddy owed him fifteen shillings , and he only contradicted Eddy's denials with a per- verse smile , lying back in his armchair and kicking Eddy repeatedly on the shin with each ...
... Christopher about money . Christopher insisted that Eddy owed him fifteen shillings , and he only contradicted Eddy's denials with a per- verse smile , lying back in his armchair and kicking Eddy repeatedly on the shin with each ...
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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 Hallo 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