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 52
... close . T'dons respect you if you have additional hardships to face , but they don't like you to be miserly . You've got to cut your coat according to your cloth . " " Yes , of course . " John lay , a slight figure , in the armchair ...
... close . T'dons respect you if you have additional hardships to face , but they don't like you to be miserly . You've got to cut your coat according to your cloth . " " Yes , of course . " John lay , a slight figure , in the armchair ...
Page 104
... close . " You want a fight , " he diagnosed . " Shut up , Eddy . It's that fool John . He can't tie his tie again , now I've wrecked it - oh , owch - owch - owch- " He went off again . John , gripped by silent laughter , nodded dumbly ...
... close . " You want a fight , " he diagnosed . " Shut up , Eddy . It's that fool John . He can't tie his tie again , now I've wrecked it - oh , owch - owch - owch- " He went off again . John , gripped by silent laughter , nodded dumbly ...
Page 108
... his neck , encircling his collar with the bow , and tugging the ends to their correct lengths . " That's right . Now , it's just like tying a shoe - lace - and you do that every day 99 He shifted a trifle . She was very close to 108.
... his neck , encircling his collar with the bow , and tugging the ends to their correct lengths . " That's right . Now , it's just like tying a shoe - lace - and you do that every day 99 He shifted a trifle . She was very close to 108.
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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