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 185
... round the door . He wore a dark overcoat and carried a walking stick , coming up to them with a foxy grin . " Who's buying the next round ? ” he inquired . " Hallo , Pat , " said Eddy . " Three milds , that's the order . " " There you ...
... round the door . He wore a dark overcoat and carried a walking stick , coming up to them with a foxy grin . " Who's buying the next round ? ” he inquired . " Hallo , Pat , " said Eddy . " Three milds , that's the order . " " There you ...
Page 201
... 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 had called to see Christopher , and that he must get her ...
... 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 had called to see Christopher , and that he must get her ...
Page 213
... round the Stadium ? " No one seemed to know : they all lived close by and their interest did not extend outside this particular district . " They had it badly round the hospital , " volunteered one of them . John turned away impatiently ...
... round the Stadium ? " No one seemed to know : they all lived close by and their interest did not extend outside this particular district . " They had it badly round the hospital , " volunteered one of them . John turned away impatiently ...
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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