This is one of the idioms that i love the most. :) But i prefer to let Class::MethodMaker handle those details for me. ;)

#!/usr/bin/perl -l

my $foo = Foo->new(givenName => 'original');
print $foo->givenName;

$foo->givenName(42);
print $foo->givenName;

package Foo;
use Class::MethodMaker
   new_hash_init => 'new',
   get_set       => qw(givenName),
;
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Yet another reason why i program in Perl and not Python - because no matter how pretty of a wheel Python makes, it's still a wheel that i have to reinvent just to Get Stuff Done® :/

jeffa

L-LL-L--L-LL-L--L-LL-L--
-R--R-RR-R--R-RR-R--R-RR
B--B--B--B--B--B--B--B--
H---H---H---H---H---H---
(the triplet paradiddle with high-hat)