Who is Cecil Jacobs in chapter 9 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

Cecil Jacobs is a classmate of Scout's, but he also represents the typical, middle-class, white child in Maycomb. He is taught white superiority in his home as demonstrated by the words he says to Scout about her father defending a black man in a criminal case. Cecil Jacobs must have picked up some conversation about Atticus in his house before knowing to tell Scout that her father defends "ni****s" (75). Scout doesn't even know what he's talking about and has to ask her father about it later. If Scout doesn't know what Cecil means by what he says, then it is highly likely that Cecil's second grade mind doesn't really know what he means either. This is only the beginning for Scout and Jem, though. Throughout the rest of their school year and into the summer, they put up with adults and children casting insults at them about their father. Atticus knows it isn't fair for his children to experience this because of the trial, but he asks Scout not to fight over the things she may hear after she tells him what she heard from Cecil. She does her best to obey.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, who is Cecil Jacobs?

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.

How would you describe Cecil Jacobs in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Cecil Jacobs is one of Scout's classmates who is the product of his racist upbringing. At the beginning of Chapter 9, Cecil Jacobs yells that Scout's father defends niggers to the entire playground. Although Scout does not fully comprehend the weight of his derogatory comment, she realizes that he is speaking negatively about Atticus which upsets her. That night, Atticus explains to Scout that he is defending an African American named Tom Robinson and challenges his daughter to practice tolerance. The following day on the playground, Cecil Jacobs refuses to take back his comment about Scout's father and says that his parents told him that Atticus was a disgrace. Despite being provoked again, Scout follows her father's advice and walks away. Cecil Jacobs also appears in Chapter 26 when he talks about Hitler during a current events activity. At the end of the novel, Scout and Jem think that Cecil Jacobs is the one following them home from the Maycomb Halloween festival. Overall, Cecil Jacobs is an ignorant, immature child who grew up in a racist environment.