One thing it was not: love at first sight. He didn't believe in such. He wasn't a believer in romance, sentimental coincidences, "meanings" snatched out of the air. He certainly didn't believe in destiny, he was a gambler by nature and you know that destiny is just chance you try to manipulate for your own profit. Yet
The protagonist in Joyce Carol Oates' "The Falls" expresses skepticism about the concept of love at first sight. He views love and romance with a practical mindset, rejecting ideas of fate and sentimental connections. For him, belief in destiny seems naive, as he sees it as merely a form of chance that people attempt to control to their advantage.
This perspective highlights his gambler's attitude toward life, where emotions and relationships are not dictated by whimsical forces but rather evaluated through logic and personal agency. His disillusioned view of love indicates a deeper struggle with vulnerability, showing a character who is wary of opening himself up to the unpredictability of romantic entanglements.
