ある文章で使われているtheの概念

質問

ソル・フアナという修道女に関する本のレビュー（アメリカのアマゾンより）から引用させてもらった英文です。
This is balanced, penetrating examnation of Sor Juana and the
elements that shaped her life.
'the elements'とありますが、このtheは何にかかっているのでしょうか。
elements that shaped her lifeが特有のものであることから、theがつくのか、それともこのtheはsor Juanaにかかっているのか・・（それならher elementsにすればよいと思うのですが）

私の意見としては前者の方が正しいのではないかと思っています。
なぜそう思うのかを下に記してみましたので、違うと思われるところが
あれば指摘してください。

elementの基本的な意味を調べましたところ、 one part of feature of a whole system, plan, piece of work etc, especially that is basic or important.(ロングマンより）　という説明がなされていましたが、
この文章のelementsは、彼女の人生に影響を与えた事柄のなかでの基本的なことをさしていると考えられます。人生に影響を与えた事柄というのは、人それぞれですよね。よってこのelementsは’特有’の意味を持っているので、theが使われるというように、私は考えました。

回答No.19

taked4700

定冠詞についての議論がおかしくなってしまうのは、一つには、定冠詞の意味がかなりいいかげんなもの、つまり、意味の幅があり、どの意味について話しているのか、それが、議論の当事者にとってもあいまいになる事が多いからだと思います.
ちなみに、Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
で、the を引くと、大項目で次の４項目でてきます。

the (PARTICULAR)
the (YOUR)
the (ENOUGH)
the (EACH)

そして、次に、the(PARTICULAR)の項目を開くと、次のように、１６の区分けがされています.
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=82277&dict=CALD
より引用：

the (PARTICULAR) Show phonetics
determiner
1 used before nouns to refer to things or people when a listener or reader knows which particular things or people are being referred to, especially because they have already been mentioned or because what is happening makes it clear:
I just bought a new shirt and some new shoes. The shirt was quite expensive, but the shoes weren't.
Please would you pass the salt.
I'll pick you up at the station.

2 used before some nouns that refer to place when you want to mention that type of place, without showing exactly which example of the place you mean:
We spent all day at the beach.
Shall we go to the movies this evening?
I must go to the bank and change some money.

3 used before noun phrases in which the range of meaning of the noun is limited in some way:
I really enjoyed the book I've just finished reading.
Do you like the other students in your class?

4 used to refer to things or people when only one exists at any one time:
What will happen in the future?
After I leave college, I want to travel round the world.
They live in the north of Spain.
Ed Koch was for many years the mayor of New York.
When we went to Paris, we went up the Eiffel Tower.

5 used before superlatives and other words, such as 'first' or 'only' or numbers showing something's position in a list, which refer to only one thing or person:
That was one of the best films I've ever seen.
What's the highest mountain in Europe?
I shall never forget the first time we met.
You're the fifth person to ask me that question.

6 used to say that the particular person or thing being mentioned is the best, most famous, etc. In this use, 'the' is usually given strong pronunciation:
Harry's Bar is the place to go.
You don't mean you met the Richard Gere, do you?

7 used before some adjectives to turn the adjectives into nouns which refer to one particular person or thing described by the adjective:
It seems that the deceased (= this particular dead person) had no living relatives.
I suppose we'll just have to wait for the inevitable (= the particular thing that is certain to happen).

8 used before some adjectives to turn the adjectives into nouns which refer to people or things in general that can be described by the adjective:
She lives in a special home for the elderly.
The French were defeated at Waterloo in 1815.

9 used before a singular noun to refer to all the things or people represented by that noun:
The panda is becoming an increasingly rare animal.
The car is responsible for causing a lot of damage to our environment.

10 used before a family name to refer to two people who are married or to a whole family:
The Jacksons are coming to lunch on Saturday.

11 used before some nouns referring to musical instruments or dances to mean the type of instrument or dance in general:
Nico is learning to play the piano.
Can you do the waltz?

12 used before a noun to represent the activity connected with that noun:
I've got to go under the surgeon's knife (= have a medical operation) next week.
It's not a good idea to spend more than three hours at the wheel (= driving a vehicle) without a break.

13 used before numbers that refer to periods of ten years:
the sixties

14 used before each of two comparative adjectives or adverbs when you want to show how one amount gets bigger or smaller in relation to the other:
The sooner I get this piece of work finished, the sooner I can go home.

15 used before comparative adjectives or adverbs when you want to show that someone or something has become more or less of a particular state:
She doesn't seem to be any the worse for her bad experience.

16 used for emphasis when you are expressing a strong opinion about someone or something:
André's got a new job, the lucky devil.

特に、最後の「強調のthe」とも言うべきものは、単に、書き手のそのときの気分の表れでしかなく、ここでの、前方照応とかという議論とはまったくかみ合いません.