How does Austen create atmosphere in Pride and Prejudice and how does it change?

Austen creates the atmosphere of the time period in which
she sets the story by the way she crafts her characters and the various settings in the
novel.  Austen is a master of characterization and uses all of the tools available to
her.  When you consider a character like Mrs. Bennet, the audience very quickly
understands the social expectations for marriage of young women and the financial
necessity of marrying well for girls who will not have an inheritance.  Mrs. Bennet acts
in a silly manner, but at the heart of her speech and her actions is a mother who has
very real concerns for her daughters.  Austen also creates atmosphere in having each of
the Bennet daughters speak about their attitudes about marriage.  These attitudes are
contrasted with those of Charlotte Lucas who has a more practical nature and represents
the attitudes of many young women of the time period.

The
atmosphere of the social climate is created in each scene of a social gathering.  The
"rules" of behavior are drawn out at the first ball. This is further drawn at the
Netherfield Ball chapter.  Smaller measures of social climate are drawn at dinner
parties such the time Elizabeth spends at Netherfield during Jane's recuperation and at
the larger dinner party at Lady Catherine's later in the
novel.

The difference in social classes and wealth are
illustrated by Austen's descriptions of each of the major homes in the novel.  There is
a striking difference between Longbourne, Netherfield, Rosings, and Pemberly, not to
mention, Charlotte's home with Collins, and other smaller residences.  Austen makes the
difference in social classes very clear.

The overall
atmosphere of the novel doesn't change in regards to any of the above topics.  What does
change is Elizabeth and Darcy's attitudes about the importance of these things.  While
they will always be from different classes and backgrounds, their attitudes about
whether those things are important does change.  Elizabeth realizes that Darcy is
wealthy, but not as arrogant as he once appeared, and Darcy realizes that Elizabeth
possesses a nobility that has nothing to do with her birth.