Clio among the Old Folks Laqueur, Thomas Clio among the Old Folks Medium Literature Genre Autobiography Keywords Aging , Death and Dying , Doctor-Patient Relationship , Empathy , Human Worth , Illness and the Family , Individuality , Institutionalization , Loneliness , Ordinary Life Summary Laqueur writes about his experiences as a volunteer at the Home for Jewish Parents. Laqueur explains how different their impressions of world events are from his. He notes the variety of responses the residents have to their own aging process and that of others. Those who are still mobile and mentally alert avoid those who are not.
Some residents cling to life and self-respect, others abandon it.
Over all, Laqueur is reassured by his visits. If these people have made it this far through such a crazy century, certainly he, too, can go on. Commentary Laqueur's tone is carefully balanced between respect and condescension. While he admires the elderly he meets, he also treats them as a spectacle for his amusement and the amusement of his readers.