Motel of the mysteries

Motel of the mysteries

by David Macaulay

3.6(5)
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About
An arch and witty tale purporting to be the dissertation of some future archeologists' discovery and exploration of the "Toot and C'mon Motel" (any resemblance to a Holiday Inn and the Egyptian pharaoh is entirely intentional.) In the process, they get just about every detail wrong, surmising it to be a necropolis - does the "Plant That Would Not Die" symbolize eternal life or… wait a minute, isn't that just the ubiquitous plastic philodendron in every room? - and along the way cast doubt on what we really think we "know" about ancient Egypt. It's all enhanced by Macaulay's detailed and meticulous pen-and-ink sketches. Hilarious and memorable.

Discussion questions for Motel of the mysteries

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  1. 1

    How does David Macaulay use the framing device of future archaeologists to satirize the methods and assumptions of modern-day historians and Egyptologists?

  2. 2

    In what ways do the meticulous pen-and-ink illustrations enhance the humor of the misinterpretations, and how might the book change if it were text-only?

  3. 3

    The book turns everyday motel amenities like the television remote, the plastic ice bucket, and the toilet seat into sacred religious artifacts; which of these misidentifications did you find the most clever or laugh-out-loud funny?

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