class Lists (object):
  def __init__(self):
    self.thelist = [0,0,0]

Ls = Lists()

# trying this only gives 't' as the second argument.  Python error results.
# Interesting that you can slice a string to in the getattr/setattr functions
# Here one could access 'thelist' with with [0:7]
print getattr(Ls, 'thelist'[0])


# tried these two as well to no avail.
# No error message ensues but the list isn't altered.
# Instead a new variable is created Ls.'' - printed them out to show they now exist.
setattr(Lists, 'thelist[0]', 3)
setattr(Lists, 'thelist[0]', 3)
print Ls.thelist
print getattr(Ls, 'thelist[0]')
print getattr(Ls, 'thelist[0]')

getattr(Ls, 'thelist')[0] = 2
getattr(Ls, 'thelist')[0].append(3)
print getattr(Ls, 'thelist')[0]

l = getattr(Ls, 'thelist')
l[0] = 2 #for example
setattr(Ls, 'thelist', l)

class Lists (object):

    def __init__(self):
        self.thelist = [0,0,0]

    def __getitem__(self, index):
        return self.thelist[index]

    def __setitem__(self, index, value):
        self.thelist[index] = value

    def __repr__(self):
        return repr(self.thelist)

Ls = Lists()
print Ls
print Ls[1]
Ls[2] = 9
print Ls
print Ls[2]