I would say C. a literary device because pathos is like a quality that causes people to pity or show empathy towards you. You may use this as a tool as a writer to make the reader feel a certain way about your characters or victims of an event. It can be used to better understand and better convince readers of your opinion.
I know this may start controversy but it's not oppressed if they don't know they're oppressed. But if being abused then let them free yes, but on the terms of being oppressed then no.
