Pastor Hector Bligh

As the story opens, Pastor Hector Bligh is a fallen preacher who does not really care about anything other than his next drink. By the end of the novel, Bligh has become a crusader against the evil man who arrives in Gibbeah. The most significant act in Bligh's past was the affair he had with his brother's wife before Bligh became a man of the ministry. His brother discovered the affair and died from a fall. Whether he jumped, fell, or was pushed, Bligh blamed himself for the death. He said his father died of a broken heart because of the situation.

Bligh had been destined to join the ministry and apparently saw no other option available, so he went through with his plan. Aloysius Garvey, the man who owned most of the property in the village of Gibbeah, hired Bligh as the preacher there. Bligh...