What type of fictional storytelling did Taylor Swift use for “august” and the other Folklore love-triangle songs?

Taylor Swift used imagined characters and story arcs to build the fictional narrative of “august” and its companion Folklore songs.

The song is written from the viewpoint of a girl involved in an undefined summer relationship with James. James is already connected to Betty, and the three viewpoints unfold across “august,” “Betty,” and “Cardigan.”

This approach differed from the autobiographical style many listeners associated with Swift’s earlier work. Folklore deliberately explored invented people, relationships, and events, allowing songs to examine emotions such as longing, jealousy, regret, and reconciliation from multiple angles.

The fictional framework does not make the feelings in “august” less specific. Its late-summer details—salt air, sunlight, and a romance that ends when the season does—give the imagined story a vivid setting. The annual August trend reflects how strongly that setting resonated with listeners.