Final answer:
The correct answer to the student's question is B) Irony, which is when there is a contrast between expectations and reality, like a non-American hero and a French villain. Literary analysis often explores the idea of the hero and can show when the traditional hero is subverted, as seen with antiheroes or through situational irony.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to literary devices and their function within a narrative. The correct answer is B) Irony. Irony is a figure of speech or a literary device where there is a contrast between expectations and reality. In this context, the nationality of the hero and villain goes against typical expectations, where one might expect the hero to be American and the villain to be from another nationality. This contrast creates a form of situational irony.
Comparing two stories and their portrayal of heroes can illustrate different uses of irony or subversion of the traditional hero. In Dwyer's article on Napoleon Bonaparte, the image, rhetoric, and behavior in the construction of Napoleon's legend as a hero and savior is explored. Alternatively, the concept of an antihero is often used in literature to describe a protagonist that does not exhibit traditional heroic qualities, yet still garners sympathy from the audience.
When considering the idea of the hero, it's important to look at how it's portrayed and whether traditional expectations are upheld or subverted. In literary analysis, it's common to find characters that redefine what it means to be a hero, sometimes through situational irony, portrayal as an antihero, or another device that contrasts with the reader's established beliefs.