The Truth About Cocoons

Ethos

Anderson appeals to ethos when he tries to create a sense of solidarity with the readers: “I am speaking to you now from the inside of my cocoon. You, presumably, are listening from inside your own. […] Perhaps, like me, you have been living a self-destructive life quarantine cocoon life.” (ll. 55-57). Anderson does not attempt to make himself appear better than his readers. In fact, he shows that he knows exactly what they are going through, making it easy for them to identify with him and his struggles. 

Anderson also honestly reveals how his personal routines have been negatively impacted by the quarantine. He used to be a motivated person with dreams of self-improvement but now he no longer has the mental energy to do that (ll. 77-87). In this way, Anderson is vulnerable with his readers and shares his struggles in order to show the audience that they are not alone.

Another way he builds solidarity is his choice of words. He mainly uses simple wording, sometimes even informal, to make the complex topic of metamorphosis easy to follow. Thereby, he avoids sounding elitist.