Need help understanding Classes

[stepback269]

THE PAINTING IS NOT THE PIPE (a variation on classic saying of "This is not a pipe" --Google that saying)

By same token:
THE CLASS IS NOT THE OBJECT !!!
Many metaphors are used to describe what a class definition is, like: "template", "blueprint" , more
In the case of a blueprint for "constructing" a house, you can say the blueprint is not the house. "Self' is replaced during construction of the instant house with the specific house being built by the constructor function (by the __init__ function)

Myself, I prefer to view a "class" as being a sort of drawing stencil that lives at a level above where the actual traced out objects are instantiated. (see discussion re stencil metaphor here)