Things Fall Apart

My first impression of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe was one of interest. I was interested because it exposed me to a world I know almost nothing about. Where I come from, a man gains little respect for his ability to wrestle other villagers, and how many yams he posesses will not influence his place in society. I am not a coward for being not wanting to go to war and I would be repulsed by someone drinking from a human head. The most interesting difference in our cultures is the way we speak. Okonkwo and the people in his tribe use metaphors and idiomatic language that is indicative of the world that they live in. They thank the gods, not just God, they hope for rain and compare things to animals that seem exotic to me. Chinua Achebe's writing exposes me to a real culture that I could never have imagined without him.