Tilly (book)
Encyclopedia
Tilly is a novel
by Christian
fiction author Frank E. Peretti
. Originally written as a radio drama
for Focus on the Family
in 1986, Peretti published it was a book in 1988. Tilly was made into a short forty-minute film
in 2002 by Love Life America. Its primary themes concern abortion
and post-abortion guilt
and depression
. The book is often used by pro-life
activists as a tool to persuade women who have had abortions that they require forgiveness.
for their old friend. While at the graveyard, Kathy sees a woman placing flowers on a grave. Curiously, Kathy goes to the woman, who looks at her in surprise and runs off. When Kathy views the gravestone she notices something unusual about it: there is only one name "Tilly" and one date, exactly nine years ago.
Later, once at home, Kathy begins to feel deeply guilty about something. She asks Dan about her ability as a mother and he tells her that she had always been good to their three children. However, Kathy still feels ashamed of herself.
That night, Kathy has the most strange dream. When she looks at her backyard she sees many children playing. When she asks them what they are doing they say that they live there. When she asks them their names they tell her they don't have any. When she asks about their parents, the children respond that they have none. Kathy then notices one girl, who says her name is Tilly, the same name found on the gravestone. Tilly takes Kathy to her favorite places in heaven and talks to her about Jesus
. The two of them soon become good friends.
Meanwhile, Dan investigates the tiny gravestone. He soon meets with the woman whom he and Kathy saw in the graveyard. Her name turns out to be Anita Mendoza, a former abortion clinic nurse. She tells Dan that she recognizes his wife from many years ago. Tilly, she tells him, was the late-term fetus that Kathy aborted. Tilly, however, had lived through the procedure but died moments later. Afterward, Anita insisted on burying the mangled corpse.
Kathy, still in her dream, continues talking with Tilly. She informs her that she, unlike the other children, does have a mother. Tilly informs Kathy that she forgives her for what she did.
Once Kathy wakes up she no longer feels guilty about her past abortion. The story ends with her thinking about all the children who "have no mothers".
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
fiction author Frank E. Peretti
Frank E. Peretti
Frank Edward Peretti is a New York Times best-selling author of Christian fiction, whose novels primarily focus on the supernatural. To date, his works have sold over 15 million copies worldwide. Peretti is best known for his novels This Present Darkness and The Oath...
. Originally written as a radio drama
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
for Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s...
in 1986, Peretti published it was a book in 1988. Tilly was made into a short forty-minute film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
in 2002 by Love Life America. Its primary themes concern abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
and post-abortion guilt
Guilt
Guilt is the state of being responsible for the commission of an offense. It is also a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes—accurately or not—that he or she has violated a moral standard, and bears significant responsibility for that...
and depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
. The book is often used by pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
activists as a tool to persuade women who have had abortions that they require forgiveness.
Plot summary
The story begins in April with the novel's main character, Kathy Ross, and her husband Dan attending a funeralFuneral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
for their old friend. While at the graveyard, Kathy sees a woman placing flowers on a grave. Curiously, Kathy goes to the woman, who looks at her in surprise and runs off. When Kathy views the gravestone she notices something unusual about it: there is only one name "Tilly" and one date, exactly nine years ago.
Later, once at home, Kathy begins to feel deeply guilty about something. She asks Dan about her ability as a mother and he tells her that she had always been good to their three children. However, Kathy still feels ashamed of herself.
That night, Kathy has the most strange dream. When she looks at her backyard she sees many children playing. When she asks them what they are doing they say that they live there. When she asks them their names they tell her they don't have any. When she asks about their parents, the children respond that they have none. Kathy then notices one girl, who says her name is Tilly, the same name found on the gravestone. Tilly takes Kathy to her favorite places in heaven and talks to her about Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
. The two of them soon become good friends.
Meanwhile, Dan investigates the tiny gravestone. He soon meets with the woman whom he and Kathy saw in the graveyard. Her name turns out to be Anita Mendoza, a former abortion clinic nurse. She tells Dan that she recognizes his wife from many years ago. Tilly, she tells him, was the late-term fetus that Kathy aborted. Tilly, however, had lived through the procedure but died moments later. Afterward, Anita insisted on burying the mangled corpse.
Kathy, still in her dream, continues talking with Tilly. She informs her that she, unlike the other children, does have a mother. Tilly informs Kathy that she forgives her for what she did.
Once Kathy wakes up she no longer feels guilty about her past abortion. The story ends with her thinking about all the children who "have no mothers".