1. Sample CEC for And the Mountains Echoed
Can you see the difference??

2. Sample Prompt (NOT YOUR PROMPT!!!)
Is the div cruel or compassionate?

3. Level 1 – Very Limited
Baba Ayub is a terrible father. He let the div take his kid and then he chased after the div but it was too late. He could’ve done a lot more for his son, so he deserved what he got, even if the div was wrong.

4. Level 2 -- Basic
It is important to let people live their own lives. Baba Ayub’s child is taken, but when he goes to the fort, he sees his son growing. He finds out that the div is testing fathers for their courage. While I can see why the div is doing this, I disagree with the way he is taking care of it. He is cruel because ripping people away from their families is always wrong. There has to be another way.

5. Level 3 -- Satisfactory
Positive motivation does not justify cruelty towards other people. In an excerpt for And the Mountains Echoed, Baba Ayub’s child is taken, but when he confronts the div, he sees his son “running and playing happily” with other children (Housseini 6). The evil div goes on to explain that he takes the children to test the courage of the fathers and provide a better life for the children. While the div’s explanation makes sense and the reader can tell that he is trying to help the children, it is unacceptable for the div to save the children this way. He is cruel because he creates pain for the people involved and does not value their past relationships. He assumes that poverty is the worst fate, but he does not have the right to force others to agree with him through this pointless test.

6. Level 4 -- Accomplished
Even the best intentions do not justify wrongs committed against another individual. In an excerpt for And the Mountains Echoed, Khaled Housseini reveals that the obviously evil div is actually making decisions to benefit struggling children. In the story, Baba Ayub’s child is taken, but when he confronts the div, he sees Qais “running and playing happily” with other children (Housseini 6). The div goes on to explain that he takes the children to test the courage of the fathers and provide a better life for the children. While the div’s explanation is logical and paints him in a positive light, his willingness to destroy families is senseless. He forces families, many of whom are content with the way they live, to make an impossible choice, and this cruelty subjects the individuals involved to unnecessary pain. He imposes his assumptions about a fulfilling life on those involved without considering that their lives might already be rewarding, and his actions cannot be excused just because his objective seems to be compassionate.

7. Your Prompt: Was Baba Ayub a coward or courageous?