Going through my old photo files prompted many memories of classes I taught over many years at homeschool cooperatives. One class I taught for several years was British Literature. I tried to pick books that were not necessarily on all the usual lists, but closely related. As one example, I had my classes read selections from The Silmarillion instead of The Hobbit. In this way I avoided the possibility of students skipping their reading and using the movie. This book was also challenging in that it is Tolkien's back story, a master mythology for the saga of the rings.
How did I use the book to teach literature? I had the students read the creation myth of Middle Earth and compare it to the Biblical creation account. I assigned the story of Beren and Luthien and engaged them in a discussion of the pros and cons of immortality and mortality (Luthien, an elf, gives up her immortality to marry Beren, a human.) Any good writing can be used to teach students to think, read, and write better. My literature classes involved lots of reading and essay writing.
Just for fun, here is a photo of my notes from one class back in 2017:
Have you read The Silmarillion?
