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 35
... head , thinking of words like " angelus " and " refec- tory " . There came a knock on the door . " Come in . " A thin , delicate - looking man in an apron entered and stood by the door . " Good evening , gentlemen . I'm your scout ...
... head , thinking of words like " angelus " and " refec- tory " . There came a knock on the door . " Come in . " A thin , delicate - looking man in an apron entered and stood by the door . " Good evening , gentlemen . I'm your scout ...
Page 98
... head into some far corner of the shop . John went through all the actions of a rich young man ( Christopher ) , choosing a bow - tie in a shop . He would drag one out , then throw it down as if it had deceived him ; he would flick them ...
... head into some far corner of the shop . John went through all the actions of a rich young man ( Christopher ) , choosing a bow - tie in a shop . He would drag one out , then throw it down as if it had deceived him ; he would flick them ...
Page 194
... head , the neck's magnificent curve and the webbed feet giving every now and then a stroke backwards expressed disdain and scornful- ness . Because of the nearness of the coal yards and the tele- phone wires and dirty water , he did not ...
... head , the neck's magnificent curve and the webbed feet giving every now and then a stroke backwards expressed disdain and scornful- ness . Because of the nearness of the coal yards and the tele- phone wires and dirty water , he did not ...
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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