I think a conversation about "death of the author" is incredibly important re: folklore
Bear me my thoughts aren't organized
First of all, death of the author does NOT mean the writer dies in the story, does not mean that the content is only open for interpretation once the...

author is dead, or ANYTHING about literal death. Its a part of postmodern criticism and a bunch of other stuff I don't feel like getting into, but it all has to do with how readers, or in this case listeners, can interpret a text. I see a lot of response to the album either...

Using the term incorrectly, OR getting so close to understanding but not quite, ESPECIALLY the "Gaylor" crowd.
So basically death of the author means that once a work is offered to the public (in this case the album release), the author's intended message cannot be taken as the

Unquestionable truth. This is a beautiful thing because it means that everyone can have their own interpretation of a work, and mold it to their own needs. A lot of wlw I've seen, including myself, have applied many of folklore's songs to their own experiences (betty!)...

This is GOOD and AMAZING. Where stuff gets spicy is that folks are taking the lyrics and stories and assume they're autobiographical. And I mean, sure, given TSwifts past discography and brand. What we lose with that, is the personal impact that folklore has on it's listeners...

And the "death of the author" implication found in the album title itself. Folklore by nature, is stories that are passed down, molded by every new speaker into a new story. That is what this album is meant to do: be something for the listeners to cling to, and mold to their own

lives. "this is me trying" caught me in some kinda way.
Something else to keep in mind is that "honest" does not mean True
The stories told in this album are honest and real, but they ARE not, as a work of art, something that can be taken as absolute Truth. That's simply not

possible in a postmodern interpretation. Ultimately TSwift's message or ~what she MEANT~ or w/e doesn't matter. HOWEVER, that does not make those stories less real or beautiful for the listeners.
So many people have been affected by its stories, including many LGBT folks, and

sometimes we need that. it's also a wonderful introduction to postmodernism since it can get kinda complicated
Ultimately enjoy the album, make it your own, and also go support some LGBT artists since quarantine is tough
(This thread is also applicable to the JKR*wling discourse)