T 1290.pdf - Pondicherry University DSpace Portal

immigrant, all Americans were, out of weariness, tempted toretreat to the peace and quiet of the nest, the orderlyunchanging group. Risk 1s a normal commitment to stand alonevoluntarily as an individual, to face, in a self-responsibleway, the vicissitudes of life. This is very much in the spiritof the 'lone ranger' image of the American in popularliterature. The existential condition challenges the individualto take the chance of mastering it. By assuming the risk ofstanding alone and by persistent efforts against the chaos, theindividual makes gain, creates a wider community, develops acommon ldentlty with others, and uncovers new resources inhimself or herself and in soclety. The ethical themes whichcelebrated immigrant strivlngs and America's social orderunlfying dlverse peoples were refashioned into a transformingvision of natlonal history as exlstentlallst comedy. The newhero was the archetypal Amerlcan who became the lone immigranthero, gradually overcoming an original state of alienation. Thehistory of America and of the archetypal immigrant Americandemonstrated the beneflts, both personal and collective, gainedby facing llfe as an lndivldual.In the final analysis, one can find in the immigrant'slegacy not only inspiration, but also the special provenance ofAmerican history-the general right to act as an individual-theethos of modern existence. In successive enlargements of the