In To Kill a Mockingbird, Cecil Jacobs is one of Scout Finch's classmates. He is sometimes her friend and sometimes her enemy as the story progresses.

Cecil taunts Scout in the schoolyard about Atticus defending an African American man. He uses a horrible word, and Scout can hardly hold herself back from fighting with him. Only her promise to Atticus that she will stop lashing out prevents her. That evening, Scout asks her father what Cecil means, and Atticus explains the situation to her in a way she can understand.

The next day, Cecil is at it again, telling Scout that her father is a “disgrace.” Scout remembers just in time that she isn't to fight, and she walks away because she doesn't want to let Atticus down. Cecil calls her a coward, but Scout keeps walking.

Cecil is only a little boy, and he probably doesn't even understand what he is saying. He is, for the most part, echoing what he hears from the adults around him. Therefore, Cecil's parroting comments give us an idea of what at least some of Maycomb citizens are thinking about Atticus's determination to defend Tom Robinson to the best of his ability.

On Halloween night, Jem and Scout are on their way to the school when Cecil jumps out and scares them. He doesn't mean any harm, but he certainly enjoys his Halloween prank. Scout and Cecil tour the auditorium together, enjoying the House of Horrors and a few treats. Then they put on their costumes and sit together waiting for their turn in the pageant. This shows that Scout and Cecil really are friends, for the most part. Scout doesn't hold a grudge, and Cecil probably never meant what he said about Atticus.

Cecil Jacobs is a minor character, who is around Scout's age and lives on the same street as her. Since he lives in town, it is fair to assume that he comes from a financially stable family. Cecil Jacob's father is also a Baptist and plays in a touch football game against the Methodists, which fills Jem with envy and shame because Atticus is too old to participate.

Cecil Jacobs is also in Scout's classes and gives her a hard time on the playground about her father representing Tom Robinson. Cecil announces to the entire playground that "Scout Finch's daddy defends n*****s," which tests Scout's patience. Cecil Jacobs continues to torment Scout about her father and she is forced to keep her cool.

Cecil Jacobs also shows up later in the story in Miss Gates's class when he reads an article about Adolf Hitler. Cecil's article brings up the subject of prejudice and Scout recognizes that her teacher is a hypocrite. Cecil Jacobs also pranks Jem and Scout on their way to the local Halloween festival at the school.

Despite causing Scout significant anguish over her father defending a Black man, she spends time with Cecil at the festival. Cecil Jacobs and Scout visit various booths together, trying different activities before the pageant. After the Halloween festival, Jem and Scout walk home alone and Jem hears a mysterious noise following them. Initially, Jem and Scout think it is Cecil Jacobs trying to scare them again. However, it is really Bob Ewell stalking them.

Cecil Jacobs is one of Scout's classmates. He lives at the far end of her street next to the post office and gives her a hard time at school. In chapter 9, Cecil Jacobs makes several derogatory remarks on the playground directed at Scout and her father. According to Scout, Cecil Jacobs announced to the entire school that "Scout Finch's daddy defended niggers" (Lee, 77). Scout responds by clenching her fists and telling him to take it back. That night, Scout asks her father what Cecil Jacobs meant, and he proceeds to explain how he will defend a black man named Tom Robinson. Atticus also encourages Scout to keep her head high and fists down whenever someone tries to upset her. The next day, Cecil Jacobs says,

My folks said your daddy was a disgrace an‘ that nigger oughta hang from the water-tank! (Lee, 79).

Clearly, Cecil Jacobs comes from a prejudiced family and is not afraid to share his racists opinions with Scout at school. Later in the novel, Cecil Jacobs brings in an article for a Current Events activity in class about how Hitler is persecuting the Jews in Europe. Miss Gates then reveals her hypocrisy by mentioning that there is no prejudice in America.

Although Cecil Jacobs is a minor character, his presence in the novel is significant because his racist comments expose Scout to the true nature of her community. Scout also recognizes Miss Gates's hypocrisy because Cecil decided to bring in an article on Hitler. 

Cecil Jacobs is Scout's classmate. He lives on the same street as her, though he is further down and closer to the Maycomb post office. Both Scout and Cecil are in the same class with Miss Gates as their teacher.  

Scout almost fights Cecil when he tries to insult Atticus. She eventually decides not to fight him, but Cecil calls her a coward. Eventually, they become friends. During the Halloween event at the high school, Scout and Cecil visit the various booths together and spend their money on treats. They each come with thirty cents.

Cecil and his family are Baptists, and his father plays on the Baptist football team. During the Halloween pageant, Cecil dresses up as a cow. When Scout and Jem walk to the Halloween event at the high school, Cecil sneaks up and scares them:

Someone leaped at us.

"God almighty!" Jem yelled.  

A circle of light burst in our faces, and Cecil Jacobs jumped in glee behind it. "Haa-a, gotcha!" he shrieked. "Thought you'd be comin' along this way!"

"What are you doin' way out here by yourself, boy? Ain't you scared of Boo Radley?"

Cecil had ridden safely to the auditorium with his parents, hadn't seen us, then had ventured down this far because he knew good and well we'd be coming along. He thought Mr. Finch'd be with us, though.