An early effort to define focused on whether the material had any serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value

peace keepers

idealism to be spread

riches kept

the best description of postwar writers might be progressive.

following the war, writers showed a tendency to work on artistic or social matters rather than political themes. while postwar literature may not have been the greatest period of english literature, the themes provided excellent critics a high number of novels. such examples include anthony burgess, anthony powell and frank kermode, all of which can be placed under the progressive view.