Who is “Paper Rings” about?
"Paper Rings," an upbeat and vibrant track from Taylor Swift's 2019 album "Lover," brims with details about the characters involved, offering a unique opportunity to probe their identities. One can readily discern from her discography that Swift excels in creating narratives through her songs, which often mirror her personal experiences and reflections. These, coupled with cultural, historical, and literary influences, further infuse depth and context into the identities of her characters.
For the characters in "Paper Rings," a prime influence is clearly drawn from Swift's own life. The lyrics provide hints about a relationship built on authenticity, deep emotional connection, and shared history, which many fans have been quick to attribute to Swift's relationship with Joe Alwyn. However, beyond the lens of Swift's personal relationship, it's important to consider the broader themes that transcend the specificity of her relationship status at the time.
Swift, as a songwriter, has been heavily influenced by a variety of sources throughout her career, and it's likely these influences also contribute to the characters' identities. For example, the playful spontaneity and deep affection that mark the relationship in "Paper Rings" call to mind romantic figures in pop culture. Characters like Jesse and Celine from Richard Linklater's "Before" trilogy, whose love story also evolves from youthful spontaneity to mature understanding, or the authentic, complicated but deeply bonded relationship between Monica and Chandler in "Friends" offer intriguing parallels.
Beyond pop culture, literature also provides a rich reservoir for character influences. Jane Austen's Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from "Pride and Prejudice," with their initial misunderstandings giving way to profound love and mutual respect, align well with the dynamics portrayed in "Paper Rings."
Historically speaking, the song's characters might even reflect the spirit of countercultural movements like the 1960s' beatniks or 1990s' grunge scene, which often rejected materialism in favor of authenticity and emotional connection, echoing the song's celebration of love that transcends material wealth.
To that end, the song’s titular symbol, the paper ring, mirrors the timeless concept of love tokens - simple, often handmade gifts exchanged between lovers, dating back to medieval times and arguably earlier. These tokens, like Swift's paper rings, are treasured not for their material value, but for the emotional significance they represent - a theme as relevant to historical lovers as it is to Swift's characters.
While it's tempting to narrow down the identities of Swift's characters to specific individuals, considering a wider range of influences from her life, cultural movements, literature, and history provides a more nuanced understanding. The characters of "Paper Rings" thus emerge as complex, multi-dimensional figures whose relationship, while likely inspired by Swift's own experiences, also resonate with broader themes of love, authenticity, and the transcendence of material wealth, making them universally relatable.
