Lucinda eventually invites Oscar to stay with her in Sydney. During her year-long stint in London, Lucinda hoped she may find a husband for herself, however she found London society to be even more disapproving of her than in Sydney.Īs Oscar and Lucinda get to talking aboard the ship, they discover their mutual love for gambling, as Lucinda was often present at the same late-night card games as Oscar.

Despite her best efforts to fit in, Lucinda finds it a constant challenge to adapt to Sydney life and to follow the conventions set out for her as a wealthy young woman. After moving to Sydney, she discovered that her way of life was not looked kindly upon, and she finds it difficult to make friends.

Lucinda is attempting to integrate into city life, which is difficult for her as she grew up on a farm with her mother and father and was used to taking care of herself. After discovering that Oscar has gotten into the habit of participating in late-night card games, the church decides to send him to Australia. By committing himself to the Church of England, Oscar receives the opportunity to study at Oxford, which is where he discovers his skill as a gambler. His father is heartbroken, and assures his son that his soul is now damned to hell, a thought that haunts Oscar throughout the novel. After having been raised by a strict and stringently religious father, he rebels and rejects his father’s faith in favor of Anglicanism. Oscar Hopkins is a man full of contradictions. Lucinda challenges Oscar to a bet, knowing that he won’t be able to refuse, and this marks the beginning of their relationship. As they get to know each other, they realize that they are both heavy gamblers. The novel tells the story of the meeting of Englishman Oscar Hopkins and Australian heiress Lucinda Leplastrier when they are both aboard a ship headed to Australia. The book was first published in 1988 and went on to win the Man Booker Prize that same year, and was the recipient of the Miles Franklin Award in 1989. Oscar And Lucinda is a satirical novel by Australian author Peter Carey.

Lucinda and oscar