I’ve never read this story but my gut is going with A
She is speaking about times in which man becomes most desperate that in times where one is attacked, hurt or in a position from which something awful may occur they become their most powerful. This can be related to times where you struggled and found strength within yourself to do what you thought was impossible.
Comparing and contrasting means to show the differences and similarities of two things. Afterward then you can show which one is better and or worse.
complex- before the car wash is an adverb clause