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 37
... Christopher Warner had eaten at the Commoners ' table with Patrick Dowling , and they were sitting over their beer when John went , so that he went back to an empty room , to be alone at last . In the electric light the cream - painted ...
... Christopher Warner had eaten at the Commoners ' table with Patrick Dowling , and they were sitting over their beer when John went , so that he went back to an empty room , to be alone at last . In the electric light the cream - painted ...
Page 39
A Novel Philip Larkin. reading it through he concluded it was from Mrs. Warner , Christopher's mother . It was dated the 9th October from a house in Derbyshire , where she was apparently staying with friends , playing golf and watching ...
A Novel Philip Larkin. reading it through he concluded it was from Mrs. Warner , Christopher's mother . It was dated the 9th October from a house in Derbyshire , where she was apparently staying with friends , playing golf and watching ...
Page 49
... Christopher had for- gotten all about it , to judge from the wrinkling of his forehead as he stared at it . " Me ? I ... Warner did not give two pins for him . But on the scholars ' table that night he heard Christopher referred to as ...
... Christopher had for- gotten all about it , to judge from the wrinkling of his forehead as he stared at it . " Me ? I ... Warner did not give two pins for him . But on the scholars ' table that night he heard Christopher referred to as ...
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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