Nathan Price is the only member of the Price family who does not narrate the novel. He is a power hungry Baptist, who previously served in the war. During the war he escaped death, while watching the rest of his team be killed; because of this Nathan has always seen himself as a coward, and feels he needs to compensate by making himself seem heroic and strong. Nathan convinces himself that he is being brave and selfless, when in reality he’s being cowardly by hiding behind God, and selfish by not allowing himself to sympathize with others. If anyone, including his own family, does not follow his moral code, he believes that they deserve to be punished by himself or God. Ontop of his displacement with the reality of his actions, he convinces himself that he’s trying to save the souls of the people around him, when he is actually attempting to secure his place in Heavan by acting on God’s behalf. Nathan believes that God frowns on any actions that do not pertain to the speading of the Lord’s name, even if those actions are towards his loving wife and daughters. These actions drive his family to fear him, and most of all, try to run away from him.
An example of Nathan's complete ignorance towards the Congolese culture, as well as his own family's well being is evident in the following quotations:
Pg. 169 - "Father would sooner watch us all perish one by one than listen to anybody but himself"
When the Congo became politically unstable, and therefore very unsafe due to the war The Mission League wanted to pull the Price family out of the Congo and send them home. Knowing the consequences, Nathan refused to leave the Congo before his mission was complete - even though it meant jeopardizing his entire family's life. This is furthered when Rachel states:
Pg. 176 – “The end? And the Price family lived happily ever after? Not on your life. Father is all psyched up to stay here forever, I think. Mother tries to explain to him day in and day out about how is putting his own children in jeopardy of their lives, but he won’t even listen to his own wife, much less his mere eldest daughter.”
