What literary device contrasts what is expected with what actually occurs?

The literary device that contrasts what is expected with what actually occurs is irony. Irony plays on the difference between appearances and reality, often highlighting a discrepancy between what seems to be the case and what is actually true. For instance, if a fire station burns down, there is an ironic twist as one would expect a place dedicated to preventing fires to be the least likely to catch fire.

In literature, irony can manifest in various forms, including verbal irony, where someone says one thing but means another; situational irony, where actions have an opposite effect from what was intended; and dramatic irony, where the audience knows something that the characters do not. Each form serves to deepen the reader's engagement and provoke thought about the realities behind the surface of events or statements.

The other options represent different literary devices but do not fit the definition of contrasting expectations and reality. Metaphor involves figurative language to compare two unlike things; foreshadowing hints at future events without the expectation of contrast; and hyperbole uses exaggeration for emphasis, without addressing the concept of expectation versus reality. Thus, irony is the device that most accurately encompasses this contrast.