a lot to do with <the> grace and gifts that were naturally given

[RajuMV]

Friends, here is a sentence from the book A Turn in the South by V S Naipaul:
I thought I was something special in the world-I think it had a lot to do with grace and gifts that were naturally given, God-given, to me.
Why article 'the' is not necessary before grace and gifts in the sentence, though grace and gifts are definite as they were the ones naturally given.
Please explain.
Thanks a lot in anticipation

 

[Glasguensis]

"The" here is optional. Although it's perfectly okay to use "the", because the reference is specific, there is no obligation to do so.

 

[Englishmypassion]

Although it's perfectly okay to use "the", because the reference is specific, there is no obligation to do so.

That's very, very tricky: a nemesis of most non-native speakers.



I'd have used "the".

 

[RajuMV]

Does it mean in every case where a reference is specific, 'the' is optional?

 

[Englishmypassion]

Does it mean in every case where a reference is specific, 'the' is optional?

Oh, no! Never jump to such dangerous conclusions on the basis of just one example. "The" is usually necessary where there is a specific reference, but there are some exceptions, and the sentence in question seems to be one of them.

 

[velisarius]

I think "grace" here is the grace received from God, so in that sentence "the grace" would be wrong.

...it had a lot to do with grace - I think it refers to an abstract concept, like "virtue" or "goodness". As used here, it isn't specific. With "gifts", I think the article is optional. I suspect that "that were naturally given to me" refers only to "gifts" and not to "grace" as well.

 

[Glasguensis]

Does it mean in every case where a reference is specific, 'the' is optional?

As @Englishmypassion says, no. It really depends what you're talking about. when you are talking about things in a fairly general way, the fact that you can make a general reference specific does not mean that you must do so. But if the context means that the things are very concrete and specific, then "the" becomes compulsory.

I like (the) apples from the big tree in my orchard
I picked up (the) apples which had fallen from the big tree
I picked up the apples which were on the table

Here "the" is optional in the first two sentences but compulsory in the third.

 

[RajuMV]

Thank you so much to all especially Glasguensis.