the significance of the line "peter losing wendy" from cardigan, in relation to james and betty's story: a thread

peter pan's subtitle is "the boy who couldn't grow up". a major theme is the conflict between innocence and responsibility.

peter didn't want to grow up & james said "i'm only 17 i don't know anything". both lost their lovers because "they're young and don't know better." but-

wendy knew she had to grow up so she returned to her family. betty said "i knew everything when i was young". despite being young, they were mature. they just wanted a serious relationship.

peter & james illustrate young love while wendy & betty represent lasting love.

however, peter & james do love wendy & betty respectively in their own childish ways.

peter misses wendy and thinks she'd return if he blocked her windows. but he refuses when mrs. darling offers to adopt him bc they will "make him a man".

james hopes betty will take him back if he just showed up at her party because all he knows is that he misses her.

also note the jolly tone of the song "betty" showing that it isn't that deep to him.

in peter pan, wendy literally says "oh, i knew you'd come back" and so does betty bc they both knew when they were young.

also maybe a reference to "when you're young you just run but you come back to what you need". taylor has always been very mature, like wendy & betty.

james may also have been compared to peter because in betty's mind he'll always be the 17 year old boy who could've been the one, the way peter remains for wendy as he visits her every spring & years later she still tells his story to her grandchildren.

"chasing shadows in the grocery line"

peter and wendy chase peter's shadow to sew it back up, but taylor pairs it up with like an adult activity - grocery shopping, further showing the difference between a yound and a mature love.

wendy, tinkerbell and tiger lily had feelings for peter just the way both betty and the august girl had for james. but peter and james in their childish ignorance can't reciprocate true feelings.

"chase two girls, lose the one" could be a parallel between peter, tiger lily, wendy and james, august girl, betty

in the music video for cardigan, taylor follows the golden sparkly stuff coming out of her piano, which takes her on different adventures. it is similar to the pixie dust used for flying in the peter pan movie.

on entering the piano from the candlelit cabin, she ends up in a fairytale like place, similar to peter pan's neverland.

taylor's gown is also similar to wendy's nightgown in the peter pan (2003) movie.

mermaids try to drown wendy in the peter pan movie, taylor almost drowns when she follows the golden dust from the fairytale like place. maybe showing the downside of "neverland" and fairytales if you keep going. it's also one of the themes the peter pan book.

this line is so deep bc not only so many references, but it also comments on how betty & the august girl were so mature in their thoughts while james is just like "bro i'm immature".

it just blows my mind, like how did she think of these & how do they fit so perfectly.

in conclusion taylor swift is a genius and everything in the universe aligns itself for her.

end of thread. stream folklore.

is this... dare i say it... gonna blow up (touch wood) but @taylorswift13 if you see this i love you thanks for giving me an entire album to dissect mwah

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