What are the characteristics and roles of conversations in Pride and Prejudice?

Austen is the queen of detailed, elaborate, flowery,
lengthy conversations between characters.  This is why many people struggle with her
novels, and why others love them.  A conversation can start on one page and ten pages
later still be going.  Consider Austen's background and life herself; living in England
in a time when women were expected to sit around and do practically nothing all day,
what else did they have to do besides talk?

Dialogue helps
relay crucial and important information, shape the characters in the novel, introduce
conflict, and resolve problems.  One major role it plays is in shaping the characters of
the story.  Austen always has a garrulous and excessively chatty character that says
foolish things and is a bore and annoyance to everyone around them (Mr. Collins, as an
example).  She likes to use conversation to shape those types of characters.  Her
heroines (like Elizabeth or Jane) are often more limited and wise in their
conversations, being the listeners as opposed to the
spouters.

Also, consider also how much of the
NON-conversation narration in the novels centers and focuses around conversations that
were just had.  The characters not only have long conversations, but then go home and
sit there and analyze every tiny thing that was said in that conversation for potential
hidden meaning.  So even though they aren't talking constantly, most of the story IS
centered round people talking OR analyzing the talking that has occurred.  It reminds me
of a group of teenage girls talking about a party that a cute boy talked to them at, and
they all analyze and interpret, and read meaning into each and every word that poor boy
said.  That is what the characters do.

So, whether is it
actual talking to shape characters, introduce conflict or resolve it, or if it is the
characters thinking about what was just said, conversation is the main driving force in
Pride and Prejudice.  I hope that helped; good
luck!