I'm been using a cheat sheet to remind me how to use body language and expressions to show certain emotions etc. Unfortunately defiance isn't listed on my cheat sheet. What would defiance look and sound like?
Some other signs of defiance could be: -Tilting the head back and raising the chin (looking down at a person/sticking your nose up at them) -Sometimes touching their face, adjusting their glasses, rubbing their arms -Raising or clenching fists
Expressing conflicting expression with speech? Like saying something rude, with a smile. Intentionally keeping space between them and other people around them. Aggressive and assertive postures to those that they are subordinate to. Being flippant.
It can work if it's filtered through the POV's perspective. What makes the POV character see a person's action or expression as defiant?
Defiant people tend to look you right between the eyes, refusing to break eye contact. That's something I've noticed - unless their presence falters. Not solely a way to determine defiance, but also the composure they have to back it up.
I had a character who was kidnapped look down, never at the captor's face. The captor knew it wasn't submissive due to the body language of tensed muscles and stiff posture, though the prisoner tried to pretend otherwise.
Often they'll step up real close—too close, get right inside your space, and tilt their head down so they're looking up from under their eyebrows at you with steely eyes. Something like this (but not exactly): There's often also a hard squinting of the eyes, and a tightening of the flesh around them. The eyes get brighter, or they're said to burn into you.
