A New Criticism Analysis in the Song Lyric Gunslinger by Avenged Sevenfold

Abstract

This research analyzes Avenged Sevenfold’s song Gunslinger through the framework of New Criticism, focusing on its intrinsic elements rather than external contexts such as authorial background or reader response. The study aims to identify the song’s central theme, figurative language, and symbolism that construct its unity of meaning. Using a qualitative descriptive method, data were collected through close reading of the lyrics, emphasizing devices such as personification, hyperbole, symbolism, imagery, and repetition. The findings reveal that the main theme of the song is emotional struggle rooted in longing and separation. The figurative expressions serve to build tension between pain and hope, while symbols such as “home,” “letters,” and “stars” reinforce the spiritual and emotional depth of the narrator’s internal conflict. The analysis shows that all linguistic elements interact cohesively to create organic unity, where each line reinforces the central theme of devotion and resilience. This study concludes that song lyrics can function as literary texts with complex aesthetic and emotional dimensions. Applying New Criticism demonstrates how intrinsic elements—theme, diction, and figurative structure—contribute to the organic meaning of the work, affirming the approach’s relevance for interpreting modern creative expressions and encouraging critical engagement with music as a form of literature.