Final answer:
Option (a), Allison's choice to stay and help the teacher, despite peer pressure, highlights individuality versus conformity, related to Asch's study which indicates that the presence of an ally can help resist conformity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The scenario described in which Allison decides to stay and help the teacher clean up, despite her friends' pressure to leave, depicts a character demonstrating a strong sense of personal principle over succumbing to peer expectations. This is reminiscent of various literary contexts where characters face the challenge of either conforming to peer pressure or acting independently based on their own values or moral compass.
The aptness of her actions can be seen in comparison to Asch's study on conformity, which found that one of the factors that contribute to an individual's ability to resist conforming is the presence of an ally, among others such as the size of the group or whether one's response is public or private.
In literature, similar instances reflect characters' inner strength and personal integrity. As seen in the given examples, various narratives in English literature often explore the theme of individuality versus conformity, focusing on characters who either resist or succumb to societal pressures, reflecting a broader commentary on human behavior and interaction.