Father, the antagonist, is a deeply religious but angry man. He reads sections of the Old Testament out loud to his family every night, and uses his religion as an excuse to lash out when his children or wife break his iron-clad rules. He is a classic bully in the privacy of the family's home, but his worst fears are realized when a neighbor and a sister-in-law find out about the abuse. He loses his upper hand when his family and friends hold a read aloud club meeting in his home, embarrassing and ignoring him. He has been defeated by the powers of friendship and love.
