The word “rebellious” has historically been used to capture a spectrum of defiant attitudes and actions in literature. In historical and political contexts, authors like Carlyle and Dumas portray rebellious subjects and cities as forces inciting upheaval against established authority, evoking images of insurrection and radical challenge to order [1][2]. Meanwhile, classic works often extend its meaning to inner sentiments and natural impulses; for example, it characterizes both the physical manifestation of resistance—a tapping leg or a tousled lock of hair [3][4]—and the spirited defiance in the heart or mind [5][6][7]. Even in more abstract or allegorical discussions, “rebellious” serves as a metaphor for a principle of opposition, enriching philosophical dialogue from Plato to Milton [8][9][10]. Thus, across various genres and eras, the term is flexibly deployed to illustrate both tangible acts of defiance and the subtle, intrinsic stirrings of the human spirit.