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 32
... eyes with it . " Oh , dear ! My dear fellow , these are your crocks .... Oh , Lord ! " His face creased in another spasm of laughter , and gusts of it coughed from his chest . " Oh , God , I shall spill the- - " He put the teapot down ...
... eyes with it . " Oh , dear ! My dear fellow , these are your crocks .... Oh , Lord ! " His face creased in another spasm of laughter , and gusts of it coughed from his chest . " Oh , God , I shall spill the- - " He put the teapot down ...
Page 201
... eyes on the door , seriously , his hand moving in surprise round the bow tie he was wearing . The feet mounted the steps , approaching the door . Two knocks . " Come in . " Elizabeth entered . He blinked . His first thought was that she ...
... eyes on the door , seriously , his hand moving in surprise round the bow tie he was wearing . The feet mounted the steps , approaching the door . Two knocks . " Come in . " Elizabeth entered . He blinked . His first thought was that she ...
Page 235
... eye . The man lit John's discarded cigarette at the gas jet and broke into confidential speech . " Ah , I got a ... eyes open , rushed in upon him . In the dark- ness he felt as if his chair were sinking slowly sideways to the left ...
... eye . The man lit John's discarded cigarette at the gas jet and broke into confidential speech . " Ah , I got a ... eyes open , rushed in upon him . In the dark- ness he felt as if his chair were sinking slowly sideways to the left ...
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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