James is the male character who has the summer romance with the narrator in Taylor Swift’s “august.”
The song portrays the narrator as falling for James during an undefined summer relationship. James is already connected to Betty, and the story ends with him returning to Betty after the summer ends. This makes “august” one perspective in Folklore’s three-song teenage love triangle.
“cardigan” is associated with Betty’s perspective, while “betty” presents James’s perspective. The names can be confusing because “august” is also the title of the song and the season that frames the romance. Augustine is the informal name often used for the narrator, not the boy. James is the character whose choices connect all three songs.