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
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Joseph_ngaruiya
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Re: Is It Ron's Love for Gambling or Maths?

Post by Joseph_ngaruiya »

EnobongGold wrote: 04 Nov 2020, 17:50 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
I beg to differ with your sentiments. Ron was so deep into gambling that he would anticipate his opponent's moves during a match. He was so hooked that every penny he had was used up in a game. You know he was serious about it if he only bought a car to make his commute to the gambling club.
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Post by Joseph_ngaruiya »

valeriejane wrote: 05 Nov 2020, 19:40 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.
I wouldn't say Ron's decisions were regulated by anything else rather than his interests. You shouldn't forget that it is through playing chess that he met Regina. She later became the only person that challenged him to become better. Robert Leet doesn't show Ron's habit as a gig. Instead, he showcases him as a gambling fanatic.
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Post by lavkathleen »

Joseph_ngaruiya wrote: 06 Nov 2020, 05:13
EnobongGold wrote: 04 Nov 2020, 17:50 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
I beg to differ with your sentiments. Ron was so deep into gambling that he would anticipate his opponent's moves during a match. He was so hooked that every penny he had was used up in a game. You know he was serious about it if he only bought a car to make his commute to the gambling club.
I agree. He planned all of that; he was really into it. What I'm not sure about is his love about mathematics. He's great at it, but I think he was winging it all the way through his doctorate, until his professor told him that he wasn't cut off for academic life. He's passionate about it on a certain level, I guess; that's what happens when you're really good at something, anyway.
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Post by lavkathleen »

Joseph_ngaruiya wrote: 06 Nov 2020, 05:17
valeriejane wrote: 05 Nov 2020, 19:40 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.
I wouldn't say Ron's decisions were regulated by anything else rather than his interests. You shouldn't forget that it is through playing chess that he met Regina. She later became the only person that challenged him to become better. Robert Leet doesn't show Ron's habit as a gig. Instead, he showcases him as a gambling fanatic.
I think it can work both ways. He didn't go to school because he was interested in earning money. He saw it only as a place to spend money on—money he didn't have. So, he goes to find work instead. But everybody knows you'll only earn enough there to survive day to day. So, he turns to gambling, where you have the chance to earn thousands in one sitting. When Regina gave him the opportunity to do both—go to school and earn money—he grabbed it. :techie-studyingbrown:
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Post by Joseph_ngaruiya »

lavkathleen wrote: 10 Nov 2020, 03:29
Joseph_ngaruiya wrote: 06 Nov 2020, 05:13
EnobongGold wrote: 04 Nov 2020, 17:50 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
I beg to differ with your sentiments. Ron was so deep into gambling that he would anticipate his opponent's moves during a match. He was so hooked that every penny he had was used up in a game. You know he was serious about it if he only bought a car to make his commute to the gambling club.
I agree. He planned all of that; he was really into it. What I'm not sure about is his love about mathematics. He's great at it, but I think he was winging it all the way through his doctorate, until his professor told him that he wasn't cut off for academic life. He's passionate about it on a certain level, I guess; that's what happens when you're really good at something, anyway.
I can't admit that Ron had an interest for maths from the beginning. Instead, I'd say his IQ was good enough for him to be a mathematics fanatic. It's evident from his moves in chess and his success in class after a while. And again, he had to be pushed to realize his potential in academics.
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Post by Joseph_ngaruiya »

lavkathleen wrote: 10 Nov 2020, 03:36
Joseph_ngaruiya wrote: 06 Nov 2020, 05:17
valeriejane wrote: 05 Nov 2020, 19:40 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.
I wouldn't say Ron's decisions were regulated by anything else rather than his interests. You shouldn't forget that it is through playing chess that he met Regina. She later became the only person that challenged him to become better. Robert Leet doesn't show Ron's habit as a gig. Instead, he showcases him as a gambling fanatic.
I think it can work both ways. He didn't go to school because he was interested in earning money. He saw it only as a place to spend money on—money he didn't have. So, he goes to find work instead. But everybody knows you'll only earn enough there to survive day to day. So, he turns to gambling, where you have the chance to earn thousands in one sitting. When Regina gave him the opportunity to do both—go to school and earn money—he grabbed it. :techie-studyingbrown:
To some degree I'd say yes to your sentiments. But on the contrary, where did Ron start his fetish for money and more money? It was in gambling. It's an addictive venture which led him to spend sleepless hours. It's for the same reason that he can't settle down, not until Regina spoke some sense into him. I don't believe he was trying to find the best life for himself, I'd confidently say he was after a quick fix for all his troubles.
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Post by Katherine Smith »

It is always interesting to me how a love or appreciation of mathematics can lead many people to become very good at gambling or at least very good at cheating in gambling. Gambling is a numbers game and if you can harness how the game is played you will always win at it. I agree with the external motivation of gambling as a way of winning and gaining approval from Regina and then Sheila.
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Post by Eutoc »

He's priority was making money and gambling seemed to get him that. The math came from external influence on him from Regina. I can't really tell if he could have followed up academia had it been he wasn't poor.
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Post by Joseph_ngaruiya »

:?:
Eutoc wrote: 19 Nov 2020, 07:00 He's priority was making money and gambling seemed to get him that. The math came from external influence on him from Regina. I can't really tell if he could have followed up academia had it been he wasn't poor.
Yes, I also think money was the motivation to Ron's decisions on schooling. He didn't think he had the potential to score the required grades to receive Regina's stipend. That shows that his interests were more aligned to gambling than to mathematics.
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Post by JGretz-7 »

I think that Ron's single-minded focus to tasks at hand are always to reach an immediate goal: earn money, survive, and get the girl to notice him. He lacks overall direction and motivation, so when something grabs his attention, he sticks to it. His interest in chess and gambling both seem like logical choices for someone that is gifted in mathematics. He just always seemed to find that the practical need outweighed the desire to learn just for learning.
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Post by Joseph_ngaruiya »

JGretz-7 wrote: 20 Nov 2020, 21:00 I think that Ron's single-minded focus to tasks at hand are always to reach an immediate goal: earn money, survive, and get the girl to notice him. He lacks overall direction and motivation, so when something grabs his attention, he sticks to it. His interest in chess and gambling both seem like logical choices for someone that is gifted in mathematics. He just always seemed to find that the practical need outweighed the desire to learn just for learning.
I had not seen it in this perspective. But I would agree, Ron's attention is always attached to a current need. When he gets new housemates, his attention shifts to winning their trust and friendship. When he starts earning more money in poker, his attention switches to buying a car so that he can go to the casinos more. And that cycle keeps going round and round. This must be the reason he doesn't settle in one relationship. It's one of the weaknesses I found with him as a protagonist.
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Post by cydnas »

I'd say Ron's success stemmed from school.

Because of school, he learned a lot which developed his intelligence immensely, and he found strength in mathematics. His interests lean towards gambling since, to him, gambling means earning money quickly. However, gambling does require some form of math skills, and that skill he has in math is enhanced by schooling.
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Post by Mvictoria »

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.
I totally agree with you. We see Ron gambling from an early age (while playing chess), and he continues to gamble until he’s beat up and Regina pushes him to school. I think he used gambling to get through life, but he found his true passion in math! I think it takes time for a lot of us to really find our passion!
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Post by Joseph_ngaruiya »

Mvictoria wrote: 26 Nov 2020, 11:06
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.
I totally agree with you. We see Ron gambling from an early age (while playing chess), and he continues to gamble until he’s beat up and Regina pushes him to school. I think he used gambling to get through life, but he found his true passion in math! I think it takes time for a lot of us to really find our passion!
Indeed, interest and passion are not identical. Ron was more connected to gambling than to maths. Regina is the source of his awakening. And as revealed by Robert Leet, it took a while for Regina to convince Ron that he had the potential to be good at school. Hence, I'd conclude that Ron's love for gambling outweighs his interest in math .
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Post by kalgaonkarsnehal »

I think Ron was more inclined to Maths than gambling. Gambling for him was just another step up from the money that he made from chess.
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