Animal symbolism in the movie.

the idea I had is that Aydin catching the rabbit is a symbol of him finally catching up with some issues in his life, thus becoming the 'new man' that he talks about in the final voiceover.

I don't understand how killing a defenceless animal helps Aydin become a 'new man.' Seems it just makes him a symbol of the macho male who exerts power over the weak, something he's been accused of throughout the film. Ironic, since he released the captive horse in a seeming gesture of good will. Then again, he was the one who initially wanted to profit from capturing the wild horse in the first place.

My take is that he released the horse because the horse symbolized male freedom. It was a wild horse after all. Horses are usually identified with 'male' attributes such as power, whereas rabbits are identified with docility or weakness, usually 'female' attributes. His shooting the rabbit seemed to be a sign that he conquered the feminine; his showing it to his wife at the window was seemingly a macho pose, another sign of dominance over that perceived as weaker.

Aydin may write a conciliatory letter to his wife, but it's almost as if he's doing what his sister talked about--'turning the other cheek' to make his spouse feel guilty. His last action in the film is to begin writing his manuscript. He is focused more on himself and what he wants to accomplish rather than on his wife.

And all the pieces matter (The Wire)

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