ATDTDA (15): Long as you play harmonica, 418-419

[David Morris]

One definition of "supernumeraries" =
An actor without a speaking part, as one who appears in a crowd scene.

The fact that the people below the Chums are called "human
supernumeraries" has a few implications, although this description
might refer to the Chum's attitudes more than reality:

1.  The Chums, by contrast, are of more importance to this world than
the "extras" below.  (This being demonstrated by their pissing over
the side of the ship for relief).

2.  The Chums are not human.  They are fictional characters not bound
by (all of) the realities of the world below.

The degree to which the Chums are above/removed from the cares of the
human realm is unclear, and it is not clearly an illusion.  I think
they are purposely occupying a fictional world that is periodically
enmeshed with a more "real" one.

David Morris

On 8/15/07, Paul Nightingale <isread at btinternet.com> wrote:>
> At the beginning of the section Chums are juxtaposed to "the human supernumeraries they had been so carelessly aviating above all these years". Their disregard is again thoughtless, based on the belief/guarantee confusion;