Deceptive appearances play a major role in driving the plot of Pride and Prejudice. If we take the character of Mr Wickham, for example, he uses deception to trick Elizabeth Bennett into believing that he was duped out of his inheritance by Mr Darcy. In reality, Wickham squandered his inheritance and attempted to marry Georgiana Darcy but Elizabeth is oblivious to what really happened and takes Wickham's side. This deception directly contributes to Elizabeth snubbing Darcy in chapter 34, when he proposes marriage.
Similarly, Caroline Bingley provides another example of a deceptive appearance, specifically in her relationship with Jane Bennett. On the surface, she is very friendly and welcoming towards Jane. She even invites her to stay at Netherfield. But Caroline's friendship with Jane is based on deception and Elizabeth Bennett is the first character to see through it, as she states in chapter six: "their kindness to Jane, such as it was, had a value as arising in all probability from the influence of their brother's admiration."
Caroline's deception drives the plot by separating Jane from Mr Bingley. Firstly, by having the party leave Netherfield and move to London, and secondly, by admitting to Jane that she intends for her brother to marry Mr Darcy's sister, Georgiana.
While, in the short term, both Caroline and Mr Wickham succeed in manipulating other characters by deception, their true motives are eventually exposed. This is one of Austen's most important messages, that deception is not the way to win a person's heart.
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