Historical Context

Lord Of The Flies takes place during a war. However, which war it is is never revealed and is left to the reader's imagination.

Theory One: WW2
While maybe not the correct theory (it's revealed in the novel that England's been bombed. However, much of what's described in the book seems to have a WWII aura of industrialism and crudeness. The fact that author William Golding also served in the Royal Navy supports this theory.

Theory Two: WW3
The theory that this takes place during a third World War is a jarring one. How could Golding have foreseen such an event? However, the fact that the plane the boys were on was an evacuation plane and that England was bombed gives us the feeling that this could be the right theory.