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 14
... paused on the bottom step . Norman instantly pointed his right hand at him in the semblance of a pistol and uttered a short coughing bark to signify a shot -a shot not as in reality , but as it would sound from a worn sound - track on ...
... paused on the bottom step . Norman instantly pointed his right hand at him in the semblance of a pistol and uttered a short coughing bark to signify a shot -a shot not as in reality , but as it would sound from a worn sound - track on ...
Page 71
... paused . " You're a pretty hard worker , aren't you ? " " I don't know , sir . " Mr. Crouch surveyed him speculatively . He was thin and pale and poorly dressed ; his eyes glanced nervously up and then fell again ; his hands were held ...
... paused . " You're a pretty hard worker , aren't you ? " " I don't know , sir . " Mr. Crouch surveyed him speculatively . He was thin and pale and poorly dressed ; his eyes glanced nervously up and then fell again ; his hands were held ...
Page 245
... paused in front of a large book- shop , seeing displayed a large volume with the University crest and motto stamped intricately in gold on the cover . His fore- head wrinkled as he spelt it out . " Domimina , " he said Halt- ingly ...
... paused in front of a large book- shop , seeing displayed a large volume with the University crest and motto stamped intricately in gold on the cover . His fore- head wrinkled as he spelt it out . " Domimina , " he said Halt- ingly ...
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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