The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
To subside is to sink or fall. Subsidence is commonly associated with the lowering of the earth's surface due to actions that have occurred below the surface. Sometimes this is a natural phenomenon, such as the solubilizing and removal of minerals by water. When the underground support system is removed in the process, the surface of the land sinks to a new level. This often leads to a special topographic form known as Karst topography. Human activities that lead to the extraction of ores, minerals, and fossil fuels often lead to a weakened mineral structural support and subsidence of the surface of the earth. In the arid portions of the earth, extraction of water from sub-surface aquifers has led to subsidence of the earth's surface as well.