Final answer:
Elie Wiesel becomes intrigued by the enduring human spirit and will to survive in the face of extreme hardship, analogous to the survival themes found in historical events and artistic depictions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea that begins to fascinate Elie following the death of Zalman in Night is the concept that life can persist despite facing severe adversity. This idea can be parallelized with various artistic narratives and historical contexts, such as those found in Biblical stories like the one of Rebecca and Eliezer from the Vienna Genesis, or in the resilience of the Jewish people as depicted in the history of the Holocaust and the eventual creation of the state of Israel.
It is not the retelling of the story of Rebecca and Eliezer itself that fascinates Elie but instead the theme of surviving against the odds that resonates with his experiences during the Holocaust, which is also reflected in the visual arts and literature that depict survival and perseverance during times of profound distress.