Defend and/or criticize Ralph’s actions as leader. What were his motivations? Did he contribute to the tragedy in any way?...

In the book The Lord of the Flies Ralph has the qualities
of a good leader.  However, he is out of his element.  As a good leader he tries to
maintain order and look after the children.  However, he falls short when he does not
recognize that the first need before shelter and rescue is
food. 

Ralph's inability to provide food diminishes his
role as a leader.  Without food, based on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, the boys can not
really think about anything else.  The second issue is that Ralph is not innately
savage.  He is a generally good person.  He underestimates Jack's level of savage
behaviors until it is almost too late for him.

I do not
think that Ralph could have changed the outcome.  Jack was the more dominant of the two
and he also had Roger alongside him.  The two boys were able to create a power that
Ralph and Piggy could not stand up against. 

Since they are
on an island with no adult supervision and evidence of civilization, the children became
animal like.  In the world of animals, only the strongest
survive.