Chapters 47-57 Summary

John is so absorbed reading the history of San Lorenzo that he does not notice the passengers getting on the plane in Puerto Rico, including a horse-faced woman and a midget. He is especially intrigued by the description of Bokonon's theory of dynamic tension. The philosopher believes that strong societies are created by pitting good and evil against each other and maintaining a high level of tension between them. Under this theory, evil is as necessary as good for the development of a healthy society. This theory is adapted from the theory of isometric exercise invented by bodybuilder Charles Atlas.

John learns that Bokonon is a Negro man, born Lionel Boyd Johnson on the island of Tobago and raised as an Episcopalian. After many adventures, Bokonon was shipwrecked on San Lorenzo. Bokonon and his companion, Corporal Earl McCabe, determined to improve...