Teaching Literature

I want to teach composition using literature. One way if doing this is with specific types. An article I found talks about "Teaching American Literature from a Market Perspective" and it connects well with the article about barroom ethnography. Students benefit from reading material that enriches their understanding of how class issues affect their academic awareness and their personal lives. Not that I want to be a strict Marxist either. I find it important to incorporate literature while working with students who are learning both authentic and academic voice. My question to those with experience is, do you suggest the standard books, such as Dreiser, which I read in community college and loved, or go rogue?