Is It Ron's Love for Gambling or Maths?

[Joseph_ngaruiya]

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.

I choose to disagree with you. Before Ron had the enthusiasm to pursue maths he was into gambling. Chess was more compelling for him than the math lectures. Infact, I believe if it hadn't been for the stipend he was getting, Ron wouldn't have been equally interested in maths.

[Chali]

The gambling came first cause he needed money. As he went on he realized there is a sequence to learn. I think the former borne the latter.

[Swirliegirlie]

I agree that Ron's greater interest lies with gambling at the beginning of Timewise. I do think his interests change during the story to be more prominent in mathematics. He never really gives up gambling although he may no longer play poker, I still feel like he had many gambling experiences throughout his life, especially with his experiments with Regina.

[Praise George-kayode]

I also agree, Ron had more love for gambling than mathematics. Its through gambling he knew much about math, and that helped him in playing chess and also helped him in predicting investment stocks which made him a lot of money.

[Kishor Rao]

I think Ron's real interest lay in mathematics and the easiest way he could exhibit his skills was through gambling and that is why he initially took that path. But after Regina offered him the scholarship he blended in and found his true path.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

Gambling has a part of maths as well as a part of luck. Ron went to gambling because he needed money and then got addicted to it. But maybe he had a hidden love for maths and maybe that was the reason that he chose gambling out of many other methods that are available to just earn money

[Sushan Ekanayake]

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.

I agree. Gambling has a part of maths and Ron's practice in gambling might have helped him through his mathematics. But the crush that he had on Regina and the push by Regina was definitely a hughe impact for his love and skills development in mathematics

[Sushan Ekanayake]

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.

Initially he loved gambling because it was a way for him to earn. School was not a great place for him but association with Regina changed that since he had a crush on her. That made him love mathematics as well since he found his true potential

[Sushan Ekanayake]

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.

That was the reason. Whether he loved gambling or not, it was an easy way for him to earn money. Going to school and learning mathematics was just an expenditure, unless he got the company of Regina

[Sushan Ekanayake]

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.

I would like to add a third party to the competition. Regina. He had three things that he loved, gambling, mathematics and Regina. Last two comes together. So maybe mathematics was more important to him. But to earn a living gambling was practically more important to him

[Sushan Ekanayake]

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.

Agreed. Initially he was totally driven by the idea of earning money and he turned towards gambling. It is true that it contained some part of mathematics but his love was apparently towards gambling

[Sushan Ekanayake]

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.

That is quite an interesting way to put on that. Yes, rather than having his own motivations, he had some external lures for him to go for gambling. Schooling and learning mathematics came later as a result of approaching to Regina. Even that came following gambling and he might have loved that more

[Sushan Ekanayake]

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

Rather than saying that he loved gambling, it is more suitable to say that he needed to do that as he wanted money and then he got addicted to that. But later he found something that he could actually love, mathematics

[Sushan Ekanayake]

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.

It is only Ron who knows what he actually loves. Maybe you are correct. It was just a thing for him to get occupied at. When he found something else to get himself involved rather than gambling, he got away from gagambling

[Sushan Ekanayake]

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.

Initially he went for gambling to earn money. Then he used it to win over Regina and Sheila. Can't exactly say whether he loved gambling, but his skills in mathematics helped him in gambling and due to that reason probably he loved mathematics