It's often put in terms of the relationship between the part and the whole. I approach a text and of course the first thing I read is a phrase or a sentence.

经常可以理解为,局部和整体的关系，我看到文本后,首先读到的东西理所当然是一个短语或一个句子。

耶鲁公开课 - 文学理论导论课程节选

You might say, look, if we're not indifferent between these two lives, that's because we think the overall shape of your life matters as well.

你可能会说，如果我们不会对这两种生命无动于衷，那是因为我们认为,生命的整体形状也是有关系的。

耶鲁公开课 - 死亡课程节选

We might think of it as, the overall shape of your life matters.

我们可以把它阐述为，生命的整体形状是有关系的。

耶鲁公开课 - 死亡课程节选