Love is a theme of the novel. Mr. Compson loves his children and his wife. Quentin loves him his family and becomes very homesick in Boston away from his family. He loves his sister, Caddy, so much he risks the wrath of his father by telling him that Caddy's baby is his. He insists he committed incest to try to save his sister's reputation. Benjy loves Caddy. He could always distinguish her because to him she smells like trees. Mrs. Compson loves Jason because he is more like her than any of her children.
Dilsey loves the Compson children as if they were her own. She raised them because their mother is a hypochrondriac who spends her time in her bed waiting to die. Dilsey is a kind person who does not begrudge anyone anything, but spends her life looking after someone else's children. She protects Benjy by keeping him calm and from disturbing the rest of the family who get upset with him when he is loud. She also attempts to protect Miss Quentin from Jason. She believes he is too harsh on her and protects her no matter what wrath comes her way. She is like her own granddaughter because she took care of her mother Caddy. Miss Quentin is so much like her that it is uncanny. Dilsey wants to protect Miss Quentin like she was unable to protect Caddy.