Is It Ron's Love for Gambling or Maths?

Use this forum to discuss the November 2020 Book of the month, "Timewise" by Robert Leet
User avatar
Joseph_ngaruiya
Posts: 1198
Joined: 09 Apr 2020, 09:37
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 76
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-joseph-ngaruiya.html
Latest Review: The Napoleone's heroes by Gianfranco Menghini

Is It Ron's Love for Gambling or Maths?

Post by Joseph_ngaruiya »

Ron Larsen loves gambling. He also has an interest in math. I think Ron was more inclined to gambling than to maths. It is through gambling that he discovers he has the potential to do good in school. I would contribute his success to gambling than to schooling. Do you agree?
Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.
Yere123
Posts: 98
Joined: 31 Oct 2019, 09:19
Currently Reading: Shantaram
Bookshelf Size: 68
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-gnwagu1.html
Latest Review: Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas
Reading Device: B00HCNHDN0

Post by Yere123 »

That's a really unique perspective you have taken on the matter. I would argue that gambling definitely played a part in him doing well in mathematics but I would also argue that his "crush" on and partnership with Regina also had a strong part to play in him getting so good at maths. We often learn things for the wrong reasons but that doesn't stop the result from being great! Great perspective you have.
User avatar
lavkathleen
Posts: 776
Joined: 23 Apr 2020, 07:38
Favorite Author: Adam Guest
Currently Reading: Weeper
Bookshelf Size: 46
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-lavkathleen.html
Latest Review: Spellbound - The Workings of Drugtech by Marcel Sahade
fav_author_id: 188841

Post by lavkathleen »

Yes, he didn't have much interest in school, given the fact that he's more interested in earning money since he grew up poor. But he discovered his potential in school through Regina, who convinced him to go there, not through gambling. When he got in, he discovered he was good at mathematics and his professors even noticed him.
Kathleen Lavador
pronouns: she/they

“Don't worry, honey. I'll keep the home fires burning.” — Gideon Nav, Harrow the Ninth (Tamsyn Muir)
User avatar
maiiii_maii
Posts: 25
Joined: 26 Oct 2020, 00:56
Currently Reading: Awakening
Bookshelf Size: 55
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-maiiii-maii.html
Latest Review: The Stolen Heir by Tayma Tameem

Post by maiiii_maii »

I think that Ron resorted to gambling because he could not go on to college. He's intelligent yet because no one pushed him and gave him support to continue his studies, he reverted to gambling instead.
User avatar
houligan19
Posts: 80
Joined: 16 Jun 2020, 21:09
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 40
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-houligan19.html
Latest Review: The Prodigy Slave, Book One: Journey to Winter Garden by Londyn Skye

Post by houligan19 »

I think that it can easily work both ways. He was interested in gambling to earn a living. He went to school because it became a way to earn a living. It seems as though he liked math somewhat already, but gambling increased that interest, along with his crush, of course. Hard to tell which was actually more important, or if Ron even knew himself.
User avatar
lavkathleen
Posts: 776
Joined: 23 Apr 2020, 07:38
Favorite Author: Adam Guest
Currently Reading: Weeper
Bookshelf Size: 46
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-lavkathleen.html
Latest Review: Spellbound - The Workings of Drugtech by Marcel Sahade
fav_author_id: 188841

Post by lavkathleen »

houligan19 wrote: 02 Nov 2020, 22:27 I think that it can easily work both ways. He was interested in gambling to earn a living. He went to school because it became a way to earn a living. It seems as though he liked math somewhat already, but gambling increased that interest, along with his crush, of course. Hard to tell which was actually more important, or if Ron even knew himself.
It wasn't explicitly mentioned in the book that he had interest in math from the start, or school in general. He was good at it—you need to be pretty quick about it if you're going to count cards—but he probably wasn't aware of it until his professors noticed him.
Kathleen Lavador
pronouns: she/they

“Don't worry, honey. I'll keep the home fires burning.” — Gideon Nav, Harrow the Ninth (Tamsyn Muir)
User avatar
Melexa
Posts: 212
Joined: 27 Oct 2020, 11:25
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 45
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-melexa.html
Latest Review: Colors of Love by Adeola Oyekola

Post by Melexa »

I think Ron's love for gambling was borne out of his desire to get money. We see this love for gambling right from the beginning at the Chess tournaments and later on when he shifted into poker - all of which was driven by his desire to get money.

Generally, school wasn't central in Ron's mind. So his love for maths was on the periphery. His focus was money, and whatever gives him that becomes important to him.
User avatar
Joseph_ngaruiya
Posts: 1198
Joined: 09 Apr 2020, 09:37
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 76
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-joseph-ngaruiya.html
Latest Review: The Napoleone's heroes by Gianfranco Menghini

Post by Joseph_ngaruiya »

maiiii_maii wrote: 02 Nov 2020, 20:55 I think that Ron resorted to gambling because he could not go on to college. He's intelligent yet because no one pushed him and gave him support to continue his studies, he reverted to gambling instead.
Ron isn't hopeless. He is a gambling fanatic. As an addictive and involving habit, it influences the majority of his decisions. Maths is a complimentary of the underlying focus on gambling. Even though we may agree that the habit diminishes a bit after a while, it still rekindles from time to time.
Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.
User avatar
Joseph_ngaruiya
Posts: 1198
Joined: 09 Apr 2020, 09:37
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 76
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-joseph-ngaruiya.html
Latest Review: The Napoleone's heroes by Gianfranco Menghini

Post by Joseph_ngaruiya »

Melexa wrote: 03 Nov 2020, 12:45 I think Ron's love for gambling was borne out of his desire to get money. We see this love for gambling right from the beginning at the Chess tournaments and later on when he shifted into poker - all of which was driven by his desire to get money.

Generally, school wasn't central in Ron's mind. So his love for maths was on the periphery. His focus was money, and whatever gives him that becomes important to him.
Your sentiments are true and as clear as the truth is. But again don't you think Ron's love for maths was what moved him into successful gambling tactics? He might not have known it, but his calculations on poker and chess were precise and correct.
Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.
User avatar
Melexa
Posts: 212
Joined: 27 Oct 2020, 11:25
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 45
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-melexa.html
Latest Review: Colors of Love by Adeola Oyekola

Post by Melexa »

Joseph_ngaruiya wrote: 04 Nov 2020, 00:28
Melexa wrote: 03 Nov 2020, 12:45 I think Ron's love for gambling was borne out of his desire to get money. We see this love for gambling right from the beginning at the Chess tournaments and later on when he shifted into poker - all of which was driven by his desire to get money.

Generally, school wasn't central in Ron's mind. So his love for maths was on the periphery. His focus was money, and whatever gives him that becomes important to him.
Your sentiments are true and as clear as the truth is. But again don't you think Ron's love for maths was what moved him into successful gambling tactics? He might not have known it, but his calculations on poker and chess were precise and correct.
You are right. My perspective, however, is that his desire for money moved him into gambling, while his mathematical abilities made him successful in it. My humble opinion though😃
User avatar
Brenda Creech
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 3382
Joined: 09 Mar 2019, 13:34
Favorite Author: Mary Pat Ferron Caines
Favorite Book: The Reel Sisters
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 356
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-brenda-creech.html
Latest Review: Was She Crying for Me? by Jerry Hyde
fav_author_id: 253250

Post by Brenda Creech »

Melexa wrote: 03 Nov 2020, 12:45 I think Ron's love for gambling was borne out of his desire to get money. We see this love for gambling right from the beginning at the Chess tournaments and later on when he shifted into poker - all of which was driven by his desire to get money.

Generally, school wasn't central in Ron's mind. So his love for maths was on the periphery. His focus was money, and whatever gives him that becomes important to him.
I absolutely agree with you! His focus was money more than school. When he did go to school it was because Regina was paying him to do so! And you are right about his love for gambling being apparent right from the start with his love of chess. Very well said!
B. Creech
"Like beauty in the eyes, the divinity of the rose may be in the nose that smells it, and the lover that beholds it." Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
HannahsReads
Posts: 265
Joined: 01 Sep 2020, 08:19
Currently Reading: An Imperfect Crime
Bookshelf Size: 66
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-hannahsreads.html
Latest Review: Commercial Property Made Easy by Chris Lang

Post by HannahsReads »

What an interesting question. My take on Ron is that he never had much internal motivation. The outward motivational lures of winning at gambling and seeking for Regina, then Sheila's, approval were what drove him. I think his cleverness enabled him to use both math and gambling to succeed once he had that external motivation.
EnobongGold
Posts: 20
Joined: 04 Nov 2020, 10:57
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 10

Post by EnobongGold »

Sometimes people are pushed to do something out of circumstance. I wouldn't conclude that he really loved gambling, I'd rather say he did it to make money. He developed his love for Math when he later started to school
User avatar
Valerie Garske
Posts: 210
Joined: 26 Jul 2020, 14:18
Currently Reading: the girl who know Davanci
Bookshelf Size: 86
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-valerie-garske.html
Latest Review: Worldlines by Adam Guest
Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU

Post by Valerie Garske »

I think gambling was simply a way to make ends meet. When Ron found something better to occupy his time, he gave up gambling. In fact, he says he can only focus on one thing at a time, and gambling when away fairly quickly in the story.

~ Valerie.
User avatar
Joseph_ngaruiya
Posts: 1198
Joined: 09 Apr 2020, 09:37
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 76
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-joseph-ngaruiya.html
Latest Review: The Napoleone's heroes by Gianfranco Menghini

Post by Joseph_ngaruiya »

HannahsReads wrote: 04 Nov 2020, 16:43 What an interesting question. My take on Ron is that he never had much internal motivation. The outward motivational lures of winning at gambling and seeking for Regina, then Sheila's, approval were what drove him. I think his cleverness enabled him to use both math and gambling to succeed once he had that external motivation.
Indeed, he is cunning and edgy. It wasn't easy to strike a balance between the two interests, but Ron was lucky enough to hack it. However, I found his weaknesses to be stronger than his strengths. He couldn't keep up with renting a house for himself and most of his money was used up in gambling.
Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.
Post Reply

Return to “Discuss "Timewise" By Robert Leet”