So what does the starfish symbolise?

I would like to start by saying that I love this film. Not because I understand it (which I don't) but because it is so interesting and beautiful. I also don't think that we always need to understand films to enjoy them but that should not keep us from asking questions.

So here it goes. What do you think the starfish symbolises? I think it either stands for the girl or even her "womanhood". Notice when the man meets her for the first time, he looks at her starfish. The jar with the starfish is empty in the end when she is gone.

And what a fantastic end, with the broken beauty. I wonder why it ends like that? Is it his feelings or is the director commenting on beauty of women generally?


- This comment is most likely authentic and fairly close to what I intended to say -