In Taylor Swift’s “august” storyline, Augustine is remembering James. The song presents Augustine’s perspective on a short summer romance with the 17-year-old James.
James abandons Augustine and reconciles with Betty, his former lover. This unresolved relationship gives the song its sense of nostalgia: Augustine understands that the summer romance was temporary, even while she continues to remember it intensely.
James is not a real-life person identified by Swift as the subject of the song. He is a fictional character in Folklore’s interconnected narrative. The character also narrates “Betty,” while Betty’s perspective appears in “Cardigan.” Because the three songs overlap in names and events, listeners sometimes incorrectly identify Augustine, James, or Betty as the singer’s direct autobiographical alter ego.