The main point of Nina Auerbach's writing is that the story of Pride and Prejudice focuses mainly on the idea of waiting. Indeed, the characters often appear to be waiting for something, whether it's for the return of a certain gentleman or waiting for someone to make a decision of whom they wish to marry. However, to my eyes, it seems as though, for this aristocratic society portrayed in the book, their very activities are focused around the ideas of waiting.
Let's be honest: A good majority of the conversation in the story has no real value to the overall plot. The majority of their conversations tend to lean towards things of little value, like Mr. Darcy's handwriting, or gossiping behind someone's back. These fleeting conversations are, quite possibly, the result of the relaxed atmosphere of the aristocracy, where working for their money is looked down upon. Without work to occupy their time, they obviously have to find something to do, and so they wait for something, anything of even mild interest to grab their attention.
I'm not going to say that there is no relevance to the conversations that happen in Pride and Prejudice, but most of the time, the side characters don't offer much information or have anything nice to say. Perhaps this is the authors way of comparing and contrasting the social norms of the aristocracy with her own ideas, embodied in the character of Lizzy. Whatever message she is trying to convey, the author allows her readers to catch a glimpse into the laid-back lives of the upper class.
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