A writing question from Oct 2007

<p>I do not understand this writing question:
To insist that a poem means whatever one wants it to mean is often ignoring the intention and even the words of the poet. </p>

<p>A. one
b. wants it
c. ignoring
d. even
e. no error</p>

<p>i chose e but the answer is C. i don't understand why. can someone please explain this to me? thanks.</p>

<p>I think this is parallel structure. </p>

<p>"To insist" that a poem means whatever one wants it to mean is often "to ignore" the intention and even the words of the poet.</p>

<p>AKittka is right.</p>

<p>The grammar in the sentence above is the same as the grammar in the following, simpler sentence: "To love well is to live well."</p>

<p>Doesn't it sound a little weird to write "To love well is living well"?</p>

<p>The first and second part of the sentence (technically, the subject and the complement, if you care) need to be in the same grammatical form or the sentence will sound awkward.</p>