the object internallythe variable is really pointer to the object' memory space created by running the literal expression these links from variables to objects are called references in python--that isa reference is kind of associationimplemented as pointer in memory whenever the variables are later used ( referenced)python automatically follows the variable-to-object links this is all simpler than the terminology may imply in concrete termsvariables are entries in system tablewith spaces for links to objects objects are pieces of allocated memorywith enough space to represent the values for which they stand references are automatically followed pointers from variables to objects at least conceptuallyeach time you generate new value in your script by running an expressionpython creates new object ( chunk of memoryto represent that value as an optimizationpython internally caches and reuses certain kinds of unchangeable objectssuch as small integers and strings (each is not really new piece of memory--more on this caching behavior laterbut from logical perspectiveit works as though each expression' result value is distinct object and each object is distinct piece of memory technically speakingobjects have more structure than just enough space to represent their values each object also has two standard header fieldsa type designator used to mark the type of the objectand reference counter used to determine when it' ok to reclaim the object to understand how these two header fields factor into the modelwe need to move on types live with objectsnot variables to see how object types come into playwatch what happens if we assign variable multiple times readers with background in may find python references similar to pointers (memory addressesin factreferences are implemented as pointersand they often serve the same rolesespecially with objects that can be changed in place (more on this laterhoweverbecause references are always automatically dereferenced when usedyou can never actually do anything useful with reference itselfthis is feature that eliminates vast category of bugs but you can think of python references as "void*pointerswhich are automatically followed whenever used the case of the missing declaration statements