Overall, the Preacher is a dishonest person. Elijah’s initial interactions with him demonstrate that the Preacher is deceitful and manipulative. The Preacher represents himself as a man of the cloth, but he is deeply involved in activities that are frowned on by the church—such as gambling—if not actually illegal. He preys on a young child to help him accomplish his goals.

Without telling Elijah the reasons that he wants his assistance, he convinces him to attend the carnival, although he knows that the boy’s parents disapprove. The Preacher tries to make Elijah believe that his skill in throwing rocks will be used to his own benefit, but he really is concerned with his own financial gain. In addition to manipulating Elijah, he tries to convince the carnival’s owner to sign up Elijah and himself to travel with them.