In Taylor Swift’s Folklore story, “Betty” is narrated by James after his summer fling. James is the teenage character who cheats on Betty and becomes involved with the unnamed girl whose perspective appears in “august.”
“August,” “Betty,” and “Cardigan” are the three songs most directly associated with Folklore’s fictional teenage love triangle. Each presents a different character or point in the story, giving the album a connected narrative thread.
Swift described James as a 17-year-old boy. The character returns to Betty’s party in “Betty,” where he attempts to reconcile with her after the events of the summer. The song therefore complements the perspective heard in “august.”
The names James, Betty, and Inez were inspired by the daughters of actors Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively. That real-world connection has led some listeners to treat the story as autobiographical, but Swift framed the narrative as fictional.