Tristan: You know when Samuel died... when Samuel died, I cursed God. Did I damn everybody around me as well as myself?
Colonel Ludlow: No. You are not damned, Tristan... I won't allow that.
Tristan: Samuel! Samuel, come here! Run along now. Go with Pet. Get him in the house.
John T. O'Banion: He's a fine boy. You know we're not here to arrest you.
Tristan: You take me to the woods. I don't want my boy to see. I don't want my boy to see. Let's get on with it.
Answer: Cutting locks of hair is often done in memory of the deceased. Knowing of her impending death, she cut two locks so as not to have them tainted by blood, but dropped one on the floor. I imagine it was the one for Alfred, but it is just my opinion.
I have goosebumps with this interpretation. I always thought that it was related someone with "scalping." She kills herself. She is her own victim. I don't know.
I agree, I always thought it was a symbolic scalping.