“The rest of the evening was spent in conjecturing how soon [Mr. Bingley] would return Mr. Bennet’s visit, and determining when they should ask him to dinner.”
Work Copied: Pride and Prejudice Chapters 2 & 3
The beginning of Pride and Prejudice revolves around the cultural norms of the day.
The daughters of Mr. Bennet cannot be introduced to Mr. Bingley unless Bennet first pays Bingley a call. They cannot talk to Bingley without a formal introduction by someone who already knows him.
Here’s the interesting thing in this culture:
The dad was required to check out the neighbors before letting his daughters become acquainted.
I was raised very similar to this. We never went to sleepovers unless my parents were comfortable with the parents, the children, and the neighborhood. Boys get introduced to my dad and brothers quickly. The men in my life protect me, and I depend on their insight.
There’s something of beauty in the picture of a father standing in for his children. (Mr. Bennet was not a good example of this idea, as his youngest daughter runs off with a douchebag in the course of the story. )
However, the custom is beautifully symbolic, though not entirely applicable today.