Most of The Chocolate War takes place at Trinity, a Catholic boys' school. Besides mentioning its sports and football fields, the book offers little visual detail about the school itself. Cormier prioritizes character development over setting. However, it's important to note that Cormier frequently sets his young adult novels in and around the fictional town of Monument, which represents his actual hometown in Massachusetts. Although Trinity isn't situated in Monument, a student has recently transferred from Monument High. The area around the school is portrayed as typical suburban America, and the school's confined, claustrophobic atmosphere acts as a microcosm for the wider world.