Taylor Swift’s “august” helps portray a love triangle in the Folklore storyline.
The connected narrative involves James, Betty, and the unnamed female narrator of “august.” James is already involved with Betty, yet he has a summer romance with the narrator, who hopes the relationship might become something lasting.
The three connected songs divide the story by viewpoint. “august” follows the girl involved with James, “cardigan” reflects Betty’s perspective, and “betty” presents James’s side. Together, the tracks create a narrative that is broader than any one song.
The story is fictional rather than a direct retelling of Swift’s personal life. That distinction matters because many listeners initially interpreted the songs as autobiographical. Swift described Folklore as a project built around imagined characters and story arcs, including this teenage summer romance.