He is spontaneous and funny because he is unaware of the monstrosity of which he is the main cogwheel.
"Moral Deliberations in Modern Cinema"
Sam Vaknin
They wore helmets, emblazoned with the golden sun and superimposed black cogwheel of the Empire, and red kilts and black ankle boots and weapons belts, and the captain had a narrow gold-laced cape over his shoulders, but for the rest, their bodies were covered with a stiff mat of black hair, and their faces were slightly like terriers'.
"Ministry of Disturbance"
Henry Beam Piper
They use a clumsy cogwheel for raising and lowering the sails, and do it all by main force, singing silly little distiches and screaming at the top of their voices as they haul the ropes.
"Southern Arabia"
Theodore Bent Mabel Bent