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 31
... tried to stand very erect and militarily . Then he thought this was silly , and tried to adopt a nonchalant pose ... trying to obscure the pause that had been broken by hold- ing out her cup childishly . " Me , Chris , me . Oo , do ...
... tried to stand very erect and militarily . Then he thought this was silly , and tried to adopt a nonchalant pose ... trying to obscure the pause that had been broken by hold- ing out her cup childishly . " Me , Chris , me . Oo , do ...
Page 62
... tried to look interested and amused also . " You won't be sorry to see the lights go up again , then . " Charley gave a ... trying to decide whether he really disliked it or whether he just found it unpleasant . Then he beat desperately ...
... tried to look interested and amused also . " You won't be sorry to see the lights go up again , then . " Charley gave a ... trying to decide whether he really disliked it or whether he just found it unpleasant . Then he beat desperately ...
Page 207
... trying to jump into the class above them , coming from tinpot public schools like Lamprey , where they only learn bad language and dirty habits- " He rather amuses me , " said John , lamely . " Ay , well , maybe he does . But bad ...
... trying to jump into the class above them , coming from tinpot public schools like Lamprey , where they only learn bad language and dirty habits- " He rather amuses me , " said John , lamely . " Ay , well , maybe he does . But bad ...
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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