Editing Cat's Cradle (section)

===Setting===
{{Infobox fictional location
| name          = San Lorenzo
| alt_name      = Republic of San Lorenzo
| image         = Caribe-geográfico.svg
| caption       = General location of San Lorenzo
| image2        = Flag of San Lorenzo (Vonnegut).svg
| caption2      = Flag of San Lorenzo
| source        = Cat's Cradle
| creator       = [[Kurt Vonnegut]]
| genre         = [[Satire]]
| type          = [[Dictatorship]]
| ruler         = "Papa" Monzano
| locations     = Bolivar (capital)
| ethnic_groups = 
| population    = 
| blank_label   = Motto
| blank_data    = 
| blank_label1  = Anthem
| blank_data1   = ''San Lorenzan National Anthem''
| blank_label2  = Language(s)
| blank_data2   = San Lorenzan dialect of English
| blank_label3  = Currency
| blank_data3   = Corporal
}}

The Republic of San Lorenzo is a [[fictional country]] where much of the book's second half takes place.

San Lorenzo is a tiny, rocky island nation located in the [[Caribbean Sea]], positioned in the relative vicinity of [[Puerto Rico]]. San Lorenzo has only one city, its seaside capital of Bolivar. The country's form of government is a [[dictatorship]], under the rule of ailing president "Papa" Monzano, who is a staunch ally of the United States and a fierce opponent of [[communism]]. No [[legislature]] exists. The infrastructure of San Lorenzo is described as being dilapidated, consisting of worn buildings, dirt roads, an impoverished populace, and having only one working automobile [[taxicab|taxi]] in the entire country.

The language of San Lorenzo is a fictitious [[English-based creole language]] (for example "[[twinkle, twinkle, little star]]" is rendered "tsvent-kiul, tsvent-kiul, lett-pool store") that is referred to as "the San Lorenzan dialect". The San Lorenzan national anthem is based on the tune of ''[[Home on the Range (song)|Home on the Range]]''. Its flag consists of a [[U.S. Marine Corps]] corporal's [[chevron (insignia)|chevrons]] on a blue field (presumably the flag was updated, since in the 1920s Marine Corps rank insignia did not include crossed rifles). Its currency is named the ''corporal'', at a rate of two corporals for every [[United States dollar]]; both the flag and the monetary unit are named after U.S. Marine Corporal Earl McCabe, who deserted his company while stationed at [[Port-au-Prince]] during the American occupation in 1922, and in transit to Miami, was shipwrecked on San Lorenzo. McCabe, along with accomplice Lionel Boyd Johnson from [[Tobago]], together threw out the island's governing sugar company and, after a period of [[anarchy]], proclaimed a republic.

San Lorenzo also has its own native religion, Bokononism, a religion based on enjoying life through believing "foma" (harmless lies), and taking encouragement where you can. Bokononism, founded by McCabe's accomplice Boyd Johnson (pronounced "Bokonon" in San Lorenzan dialect), however, is outlawed – an idea Bokonon himself conceived, because forbidding the religion would only make it spread quicker. Bokononists are liable to be punished by being impaled on a hook, but Bokononism privately remains the dominant religion of nearly everyone on the island, including the leaders who outlaw it. Officially, however, San Lorenzo is a Christian nation.