Ryan Atwood - Personality

Personality

Having been physically abused by his biological father and some of his mother's boyfriends, Ryan finds it extremely hard to get close to anyone. Born and raised in a working class family, Ryan knows the lifestyle and attitudes of people from his neighborhood of Chino, California and the dangers that occur if outsiders are influenced by its environment. He is tough, cynical and quick-tempered, yet compassionate and empathetic toward people in trouble and those less fortunate than himself. He at times appears burdened by an almost-compulsive need to rescue others, however, and is overly protective of Marissa and Theresa, his main love interests on the show. The fact that he rarely smiles is something of a running joke among other members of the Cohen household.

Ryan's favorite fruit is peaches, and his favorite band is Journey. Some of his other extracurricular activities include soccer during his sophomore year of high school (first year in Harbor). Ryan (by his own words) used to play soccer before going to Harbor and a soccer ball is sometimes seen in the Cohen's pool house. And despite the generosity of his adoptive family, Ryan repeatedly demonstrates he can earn his own keep by taking paying jobs around town, such as a busboy at the Crab Shack, a construction worker, an intern at the Newport Group, and a barback position.