The purpose of this study was to understand how life and death are represented among an adolescent population (15 to 19 years old). It was our goal, as well, to examine how these social representations might be linked with musical preferences and with the opinion of significant others. The findings indicate that life is mainly associated to friends and amusement and death is represented as sadness, suffering and pain. Girls, more than boys, are most likely to represent life with sadness and as closeness to others; and to anchor death mainly in feelings of sadness, pain and loss, in its ritualistic component and in the absence of others. Younger adolescents (15-16 years old) seem to understand it as personal accomplishment. The opinions of others proved to be relevant not only regarding musical preferences, but also in understanding life and death.L’objectif central de ce travail fut aprendre les représentations sociales de la vie et de la mort, deux thèmes essentiels durant l’adolescence, dans une population de jeunes des deux sexes, entre 15 et 19 ans. On a enquêté, également, les associations entre ces représentations, les préférences musicales et les opinions des autres. Les résultats indiquent que la vie est associée surtout aux amis et au divertissement, étant la mort représentée essentiellement comme nostalgie, tristesse et souffrance. Les filles, plus que les garçons, ont tendance a accoster la vie au relationnement avec l’autre et au mal-être; et font ressortir dans la mort, principalement, le malêtre, le ritualisme et l’éloignement de l’autre. Les jeunes de 15 – 16 ans, plus que ceux de 17 – 19, font ressortir la vie comme réalisation personnelle. Les opinions de la famille et des amis sont très importantes dans les représentations sociales de la vie et de la mort.O objectivo central deste trabalho foi apreender as representações sociais (RS) da vida e da morte, dois temas essenciais na adolescência, numa população de jovens de ambos os sexos, entre os 15 e os 19 anos. Averiguou-se, igualmente, as associações entre estas representações, as preferências musicais e as opiniões dos outros. Os resultados indicam que a vida é associada sobretudo aos amigos e à diversão, sendo a morte representada essencialmente como saudade, tristeza e sofrimento. As raparigas, mais do que os rapazes, tendem a ancorar a vida ao relacionamento com o outro e ao mal-estar; e salientam na morte, principalmente, o mal-estar, o ritualismo e o afastamento do outro. Os jovens de 15-16 anos, mais do que os de 17-19, realçam a vida como realização pessoal. As opiniões da família e dos amigos são muito importantes nas RS da vida e da morte
