The boys in Lord of the Flies were on the island for an unclear but relatively short period, generally believed to be around two months at most. This is suggested by the lack of noticeable seasonal changes and the condition of their clothes and hair, which grew long but not excessively so
. The novel does not specify an exact timeframe, and the boys do not keep track of time during their stay
. In contrast, a real-life group of six Tongan boys shipwrecked on an uninhabited island in 1965 survived for about 15 months, demonstrating a much longer survival period than in the fictional story
. So, while the fictional boys in Lord of the Flies were likely stranded for around two months, the exact duration is ambiguous and subject to interpretation based on textual clues.
