Taylor Swift's “Cardigan” tells Betty's perspective in Folklore's James-Betty-Augustine trilogy.
The trilogy consists of “Cardigan,” “august,” and “Betty.” Each song presents a different viewpoint on the same fictional teenage love triangle. “Cardigan” is associated with Betty, “Betty” is told from James's perspective, and “august” focuses on the unnamed girl involved with James during the summer.
This structure is one of Folklore's most discussed storytelling devices. Rather than describing one event from a single angle, Swift uses three songs to reveal overlapping memories, mistakes, and emotional consequences.
The songs should not be treated as confirmed accounts of Swift's own relationships. She described the album's characters and narratives as fictional creations. The title “august” refers to the atmosphere and time of the romance, while Betty and James are the named characters in the triangle.