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 |
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Page 21
... hair brushed childishly from left to right . Lying back against the seat , he stretched his legs out and pushed his hands to the bottom of the pockets of his cheap blue overcoat . The lapels of it curled outwards and creases dragged ...
... hair brushed childishly from left to right . Lying back against the seat , he stretched his legs out and pushed his hands to the bottom of the pockets of his cheap blue overcoat . The lapels of it curled outwards and creases dragged ...
Page 37
... Out of curiosity he began to inspect Christopher Warner's things , to try to deduce his character from them . Who was he ? He was rich and from London . There were a few hairs on his comb , and his hair - brushes were in a 37.
... Out of curiosity he began to inspect Christopher Warner's things , to try to deduce his character from them . Who was he ? He was rich and from London . There were a few hairs on his comb , and his hair - brushes were in a 37.
Page 217
... hair and a clipped moustache : his clothes were smart , but grubby , his oiled - stained camel - hair coat being fastened by a belt without a buckle . A soiled trilby hat lay by his beer- glass . " I've had a time , I have . I don't ...
... hair and a clipped moustache : his clothes were smart , but grubby , his oiled - stained camel - hair coat being fastened by a belt without a buckle . A soiled trilby hat lay by his beer- glass . " I've had a time , I have . I don't ...
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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