The Man Who Knew Infinity: A Life of the Genius Ramanujan

Why does Kanigel focus so much on the early influence that religion had on Ramanujan’s childhood? What do you think is his purpose in doing so?

In what ways did Komalatammal’s influence on her son remain with him into adulthood? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

Mathematics is often presented as a dry, dull, and mechanical subject in popular culture. However, Kanigel’s presentation of mathematics and how Ramanujan thought about the discipline are different. What views of mathematics does Kanigel explore? Could the study of mathematics be considered a creative process?