#cardigan in folklore love triangle = dean and rory

[missroller15]

Ok so ofc I’ve noticed the folklore love triangle (Betty, James, and August) but something I notice is that people always connect it to the Gilmore Girls love triangle like this:

Betty - Rory

James - Jess

August - Shane

Which could work (and I agree to an extent) but taking into account the song POV’s, I’m not sure I could agree fully with this one considering that August was truly in love with James while it’s mutually agreed between Jess and Shane that they’re not.

However, how I always connected it personally was:

Betty - Dean

James - Rory

August - Jess

Allow me to explain, first with Dean.

This would mean, the song Cardigan is his POV and this one fits well to me because similar to Betty, he was the one being constantly told that he was #1, that he was the “favorite” and how Rory would never hurt him.

- “And when I felt like I was an old cardigan under someone’s bed, you put me on and said I was your favorite”

- “Dean, you’re my boyfriend. I would never do anything to hurt you.”

- “She likes Jess, doesn’t she?”

Next would be August (or Augustine/Augusta’s perspective), which is his Jess’ POV. This felt like him to me because he truly fell for Rory, he loved her and hoped during the summer yet she ghosted him. Similar to how James refers to what he and August had was just some summer fling while she thought it was summer love. Of course, it was more complicated in GG but it seemed to fit as well, in my opinion.

Here is some of my evidence:

“To live for the hope of it all, cancel plans just in case you’d call.”

This reminds me of this scene in There’s The Rub, to be honest:

- “Now, why would you lie about something like that?”

- “Here’s your change. Come again soon.”

- “You wanted to come over.”

Or alternatively:

- “What are you doing?”

- “Nothing, you?”

- “I, um, I wanted to- ”

- “I’m glad you called.”

“You were never mine.”

- “Are you still with Dean?”

- “…..”

- “C’mon, Rory. Yes or no, are you still with Dean?”

- “Yes! I’m still with Dean!”

“Will you call when you’re back at school? I remember thinkin’ I had you”

- “I’m sorry, did I hear from you at all this summer? Did I just happen to miss the thousands of phone calls you made to me, or did the postman lose all the letters you wrote to me? You kiss me. You tell me not to say anything about it. Very flattering, by the way. You go off to Washington, then nothing.”

And of course, we cannot forget James.

For me, this one is harder to explain because I’m pretty sure, in the storyline of the love triangle, James essentially leaves Augustine because he misses (and still loves) Betty so he goes back to try to win her again. While the situation is different in Gilmore Girls because Rory returns to Dean when Jess is the one that leaves her so she’s left alone and is going through so much, she needs the stability & familiarity he can provide. Well just to sum it up quickly. But, there are other details as well. Such as the cheating aspect where James and Rory both cheat on Betty and Dean, there’s also the fact that both are greatly hated upon in this situation (and in the fandoms as well). The song, Betty, from James’ perspective does have a few lines I could use to support this too!

“The worst thing that I ever did, was what I did to you”

Rory’s guilt is what I immediately think of, with this line. Especially in the window scene, in Let The Games Begin.

“I want to say that I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For treating you the way I did. For doing all the things you said I did. I am so, so sorry.“

“I’m only 17, I don’t know anything”

“It’s all my fault. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

Phew, there’s my analysis! I hope it made some sort of sense and it was so fun to do. I will say though, I’m regards to just Jess and Rory, Cardigan does fit them but I’ll maybe do another analysis some other time.

#cardigan = literati #cardigan in folklore love triangle = dean and rory #ya get me? #i really hope this made sense 😭 #gilmore girls #jess mariano #rory gilmore #literati #dean forester #rory x dean #folklore love triangle #james #betty #august #plz let this reach the correct audience 😭😂