The Manuscript - Tumblr Posts

Now I'm sliding down the wall with my head in my hands saying, "How could I not see the signs?" Oh, you haven't written me or called but goodbye’s screaming in the silence, and the voices in my head are telling me why. Cause you got her on your arm and me in the wings. I’ll get your longing glances, but she'll get your ring. And you will say you had the best of intentions. And maybe I will finally learn my lesson. Afterwards, she only atе kids' cereal and couldn't sleep unless it was in her mother's bed. Then she dated boys who were her own age with dart boards on the backs of their doors. She thought about how he said since she was so wise beyond her years, everything had been above board. She wasn't sure.

Now I'm sliding down the wall with my head in my hands saying, "How could I not see the signs?" Oh, you haven't written me or called but goodbye’s screaming in the silence, and the voices in my head are telling me why. Cause you got her on your arm and me in the wings. I’ll get your longing glances, but she'll get your ring. And you will say you had the best of intentions. And maybe I will finally learn my lesson. Afterwards, she only atе kids' cereal and couldn't sleep unless it was in her mother's bed. Then she dated boys who were her own age with dart boards on the backs of their doors. She thought about how he said since she was so wise beyond her years, everything had been above board. She wasn't sure.

Guys has anyone layered all the back cover texts together yet

A manuscript of a torrid affair with an older man and the life she had afterwards: A not so great lyric analysis of The manuscript by: Taylor Swift

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 Fade into view, the year is 2010, a 20 year old Taylor Swift and a 29 year old Jake Gyllenhaal started dating . Although it was only a two month relationship it still stirred up lyrics across multiple songs from our tortured poet that's painting the story that maybe dating a much older man isn't as romantic as it seems.

According to Oxford languages a manuscript is a book, document, or piece of music written by hand rather than typed, or printed.

"Now and then she rereads the manuscript of the entire torrid affair" She's re-reading the diary entries that she wrote about Jake.

"They compared their licenses. He said, "I'm not a donor but I'd give you my heart if you needed it"She rolled her eyes and said "You're a professional". He said, "No, just a good samaritan." It's a page from her diary that was just flipped to be more storytelling than a diary entry.

"He said that if the sex was half as good as the conversation was Soon they'd be pushin' strollers. But soon it was over" They didn't have much in common, nothing to talk about since they had the age difference between them and the were at different stages in life.

"in the age of him, she wished she was thirtyAnd made coffee every morning in a French press" She wanted to be older. She wanted to be like him, have something in common, so maybe the relationship would last. These lyrics are very reminiscent of All too well (10 minute version) where she wrote "You said if we had been closer in age, maybe it would've been fine". She thought that if she acted as if she was 30 she could keep him.

"Afterwards she only ate kids' cereal and couldn't sleep unless it was in her mother's bed" She was trying to find herself again, trying to become a kid again because ultimately she was just that- a kid. Again, to compare lyrics to All too well (10 minute version), "I'd like to be my old self again, but I'm still tryign to find it".

"She thought about how he said since she was so wise beyond her years. Everything had been above board. She wasn't sure" He was manipulating her into thinking that this relationship was okay. He's trying to convince her that she's mature for her age trying to tell her that the 9 year age gap was acceptable. that he wasn't fucking weird to be dating a 20 year old when he was going to be 30. It was fine. Regardless of his words, there was something- or someone- telling her that this wasn't okay.

"The only thing that's left is the manuscript. One last souvenir from my trip to your shores.Now and then I reread the manuscriptBut the story isn't mine anymore" The only part left of her in this story is her manuscript. She's healed from this relationship, it's not her anymore.

The manuscript is supposed to be the last puzzle piece we, as fans, will get from this relationship. She's done with that part of her life. She's done writing about it. This song is supposed to be that one last goodbye. She's healed, it's no longer her story to tell. 

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I wrote this as almost a love letter to the song. The manuscript is one of my favorites off of ttpd. i'm not the greatest at writting analysis of songs, I don't think im introspective enough to do it but i've been in kind of a writting funk and wanted to start writting again. This is the product of that. I have it saved in a google doc, once I start school again and have an english course I think i'm going to submit this as a writing piece. Unless I have a better essay.....

Also, I wrote this at like 3am so please excuse any grammar mistakes.

Anyway, I'd absolutely love your feedback on either the piece itself and any theories you have or on my writting!!!!

I think we all moved on too quickly from how fucked up the Manuscript is

I mean “if the sex was half as good as the conversation is soon they’d be pushing strollers???”

And “how he said “ since she was so wise beyond her years everything had been above board. She wasn't sure.”

Who says shit like that

i think a thing about ‘the manuscript’ is that, more than any other song i think of taylor’s, this one feels most like taylor just singing to me.. like she just sat down at the piano and began to sing me a song she wrote