A Systemic Functional Analysis on the Avenged Sevenfold’s Song: Afterlife

Abstract

In this thesis, I will focus on the systemic functional analysis on the lyrical text of song. Systemic functional is derived from two words that are systemic and functional. The theory is systemic because language is interpreted as a system network of meanings (choices or options) realized by the forms. And the theory is functional because language functions as a resource for making meanings. The song will be analyzed in this thesis is Avenged Sevenfold’s song: Afterlife. Avenged Sevenfold is an American rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band consists of vocalist Matthew Charles Sanders (M. Shadows), lead guitarist Brian Elwin Haner Jr. (Synyster Gates), rhythm guitarist Zachary James Baker (Zacky Vengeance) and bassist Jonathan Lewis Seward (Johnny Christ). In December 2009, the drummer James Owen Sullivan or The Rev died of a drug overdose, and then the band replaced him with the Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy. The song Afterlife talks about a man who dies early and finds himself in heaven. But, he realizes that he has too many things to do on Earth, and to go back and make it right he has to escape from the afterlife. The problem in this thesis is how to find out the lexicogrammatical patterns, semantic component, cohesive devices, and situational dimensions on the Avenged Sevenfold’s song: Afterlife. The result of this analysis shows that lexicogrammatical patterns (Transitivity, Mood and Theme) explain semantic components (Experiential meaning, Interpersonal meaning and textual meaning), cohesive chains explain cohesive devices (Lexical Cohesion and Personal Reference), and also semantic components and cohesive devices explain situational dimensions (Field, Tenor and Mode).