The article shows how Jakobson's theory about the bipolarity of language still prevails and can be applied to literary works. The same linguist claimed that whereas metaphor is widely used in the schools of romanticism and symbolism, metonymy is more easily found in realism. Metaphor and metonymy are seen as vehicles to express the unique style of the author. This paper studies the metaphors that have been used in Peter Carey's 'Oscar and Lucinda', a narrative which tells the reader about part of the childhood and adolescence of these two characters. Carey's use of metaphor is consistent throughout the whole book; either to describe the characters or to let the reader perceive the message through his senses. There are metaphors related to animals, the sea or objects, the latter being classified into domestic tools, weapons and fishing material. (Begoña Casasnovas Gil, Ruiz de Mendoza Group)