Notes

"Yam stood for manliness, and he who could feed his family on yams from one harvest to another was a very great man indeed" ( Achebe p.33)
When Okonkwo says this he is referring to his oldest son Nwoye who from Okonkwo's perspective has not become a man yet because he is as lazy and weak as Okonkwo's father Unoko. Okonkwo meant that he who maintained his family was a hard working man and can be related to American culture as well.
In American culture, men are portrayed as the main providers of the family and are seen as hard workers. Although nowadays some women are the providers in their family, society has portrayed men as the main household providers for a longer time. Women also have a role in Okonkwo's culture. Women are in charge of the house, cooking and the children.
"Ekwefi peeled the yams quickly ...She cut the yams into small pieces and began to prepare a pottage, using some of the chicken" ( Achebe p.43)
This shows that in the Igbo culture, a woman's job is to cook and care for their husband and children. A typical American family is portrayed with men being the main workers and bring the household income while women are at home cleaning and getting everything and everyone ready for when dad gets home while daughters help the mother and the sons usually help the father. Some families have a single parent raising the family and therefore this image does not apply to them but over time society has portrayed this image of the American culture