John Kemp’s Epistolary Fantasy: Failed Escapism in Philip Larkin’s Jill

This paper examines John Kemp’s development as a writer of epistolary fantasy that ultimately results in failed escapism. It draws upon Tolkien’s distinction between escape and escapism and his formulation of high fantasy literature as involving escape for the purposes of recovering lost truths resulting in consolation and transformation of self. John’s writing of letters to a fictitious figure Jill, developing a short story about Jill’s young life at boarding school, and then creating fictitious letters and diaries written by this Jill figure all represent a flawed fantasy sub-creation that brings no consolation nor self-transformation but, rather, results in physical violence, personal illness, despondency, and further social alienation.