Question on "the fabric of X" in sentences?

Question

I see a lot of sentences with "the fabric of X" in them. For example, - "The veteran feels trusted, respected and understood -- re-integrated into **the fabric of** his or her homeland." - "Half a century ago, working quietly in a New Orleans laboratory, Ruth Benerito helped smooth **the fabric of** modern life" - "A joint and concerted effort is needed to restore **the fabric of** communities..." - "This is **the fabric of** the social contract that each generation knows..." Why did those authors choose to include it? In other words, what effect in a literary sense does it bring? How does the meaning change without "the fabric of"? The reason why I asked is that if I removed "the fabric of," the sentences seemed perfectly fine, if not more concise. I might be wrong.

Answer 1

You're mostly right. If you remove "the fabric of" you still (usually) get a sentence that holds together and makes a concise point.

But "the fabric of" speaks more to the soul, spirit or vibe of the "fabric's" object.

So "The returning veteran feels reintegrated into her homeland" conveys the more mechanical sense of returning home. She gets her mail, returns to her job.

"The returning veteran feels reintegrated into the fabric of her homeland" speaks more to the idea that the veteran is reconnected with the soul, the intangibles, the atmospherics of the place.

Hope that helps.