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.�While�he�was�in�Ilium,�John�let�a�poet�named�Sherman�Krebbs�stay�in�his�apartment.�When�he�returns�he�finds�that�Krebbs�has�wrecked�the�place,�killed�his�cat�and�his�avocado�tree,�burned�his�couch,�and�written�a�poem�in�excrement�on�the�kitchen�floor.�Krebbs�is�a�nihilist,�someone�who�believes�in�nothing�and�finds�life�meaningless.�John�says�he�was�tempted�to�see�the�coincidence�of�the�stone�angel�as�meaningless�and�to�conclude�that�life�itself�was�meaningless,�but�Krebbs s�outlandish�behavior�convinces�him�that�nihilism�is�a�mistake.�Krebbs�gives�him�another�shove�in�the�direction�of�Bokononism,�which�argues�that�everything�happens�for�a�reason,�even�if�the�reason�is�not�immediately�apparent.�A�series�of�strange�coincidences�propels�John�into�contact�with�Frank�Hoenikker,�who�disappeared�shortly�after�his�father s�funeral.�John�sees�an�advertising�supplement�in�the�New�York�Times�for�the�tiny�island�nation�of�San�Lorenzo.�On�the�cover�is�a�picture�of�a�breathtakingly�beautiful�woman,�Mona�Aamons�Monzano,�and�John�falls�instantly�in�love�(80).�Looking�inside�for�more�pictures�of�Mona,�he�instead�comes�across�Frank�Hoenikker,�who�is�San�Lorenzo s� Minister�of�Science�and�Progress �(80).�Then�he�is�assigned�to�write�an�article�on�another�resident�of�the�island,�Julian�Castle,�who�gave�up�a�life�of�wealth�and�privilege�to�found�a�hospital�and�care�for�San�Lorenzo s�poor.�On�the�plane�to�San�Lorenzo,�he�meets�Horlick�Minton,�the�new�U.S.�ambassador,�and�his�wife�Claire.�The�Mintons�are�devoted�to�each�other�and�pay�very�little�attention�to�anyone�else.�Having�been�dismissed�briefly�from�the�diplomatic�service�for�expressing�the�opinion�that�Americans�are�not�universally�loved,�they�view�their�new�assignment�with�cynical�detachment.�The�Mintons�show�John�a�copy�of�a�book�on�San�Lorenzo�by�Philip�Castle,�the�son�of�philanthropist�Julian�Castle.�The�book�introduces�John�to�the�Bokononist�religion�and�gives�him�a�glimpse�of�the�island s�long,�sad�history.�Bokonon,�whose�real�name,�Johnson,�became� Bokonon �in�the�island s�strange�dialect,�is�a�black�man�originally�from�Trinidad�who�traveled�the�world�before�his�fate�finally�delivered�him�to�San�Lorenzo.�Faced�with�the�hopeless�poverty�of�a�large�population�on�an�island�with�few�resources,�Bokonon�and�his�fellow�traveler�Earl�McCabe�created�a�religion�called�Bokononism�and�pitted�it�against�a�repressive�government�Page�81headed�by�McCabe.�Bokonon�used�depression�era�bodybuilder�Charles�Atlas s�concept�of� dynamic�tension �as�the�basis�for�a�system�that�turned�life�on�the�island�into�a�morality�play�in�which�good�and�evil�battle�endlessly.�Bokonon�took�on�the�role�of�the�persecuted�holy�man�hiding�out�in�the�jungle,�while�McCabe�became�the�dictatorial�president�who�punished�all�Bokononists�with�death�on�a�giant�fishhook.�Although�the�new�system�did�not�improve�the�economic�conditions�on�the�island,�it�improved�the�lives�of�the�people�by�making�them�actors�in�a�cosmic�drama�and�giving�their�lives�meaning.�John�also�meets�H.�Lowe�Crosby,�a�bicycle�manufacturer�who�hopes�to�build�a�factory�in�San�Lorenzo,�and�his�wife�Hazel.�Like�the�narrator,�Hazel�is�from�Indiana,�and�she�delights�in�meeting�other� Hoosiers �and�expounding�on�the�great�things�that�have�been�accomplished�by�people�from�Indiana.�Hazel s�mania�for�Hoosiers�gives�John�an�opportunity�to�introduce�the�Bokononist�concepts�of�the�karass�and�the�granfalloon.A�karass�is�a�team�that�does� God s�Will �without�realizing�it,�while�a�granfalloon�is�a�false�karass�composed�of�people�who�supposedly�have�something�in�common,�but�which�has�nothing�to�do�with�God s�plans.�Crosby�is�attracted�to�San�Lorenzo�because�the�people�are�poor�and�supposedly�desperate�for�any�opportunity�to�earn�a�living,�so�he�expects�they�will�work�hard�and�not�give�him�any�trouble,�unlike�the�unionized�workers�back�home.� Papa �Monzano,�McCabe s�successor�as�the�island s�dictatorial�president�for�life,�punishes�any�kind�of�crime�by�hoisting�the�perpetrator�on�a�large�fish�hook�and�letting�him�hang�in�public�until�he�dies.�While�Crosby�admits�that�this�may�be�too�brutal�for�a�democracy,�he�does�favor�the�reinstatement�of�public�hanging�to�restore�a�healthy�respect�for�the�law�in�the�United�States.�Crosby�is�the�novel s�spokesman�for�American�capitalism.�He�claims�to�love�democracy�and�freedom�but�actually�prefers�a�dictatorship�that�promises�him�total�power�over�his�workers.�The�plane�trip�also�gives�John�time�to�get�to�know�two�of�Dr.�Hoenikker s�children,�thirty�four�year�old�Angela�and�nineteen�year�old�Newt,�who�are�flying�to�San�Lorenzo�to�attend�their�brother�Frank s�wedding.�Frank�is�engaged�to�Mona�Aamons�Monzano,�which�is�disappointing�news�for�John,�who�claims�to�have�fallen�in�love�with�her�picture�in�the�New�York�Times.�When�the�plane�arrives�in�San�Lorenzo,�it�is�greeted�by�5,000�of�the�island s�listless�inhabitants,�a�marching�band�that�does�not�play,�and�a�seriously�ill�president�who�collapses�in�the�middle�of�his�welcoming�speech.�After�Papa�Monzano�is�whisked�away�to�his�mountain�top�castle�in�an�ambulance,�the�Mintons�are�taken�to�the�U.S.�embassy,�Angela�and�Page�82Newt�accompany�Frank�to�his�home,�and�John�and�the�Crosbys�are�taken�to�Casa�Mona,�a�gleaming�new�hotel�in�Bolivar,�the�capital�city.�Soon�after�his�arrival�at�the�hotel,�John�receives�a�call�from�Frank�asking�him�to�come�to�his�house�for�dinner.�There�he�meets�Julian�Castle,�the�philanthropist�he�is�supposed�to�interview
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