Inconsistency in python help('string') versus help(list)?

Question

When I type help(\'string\') in the python interpreter I get information about the string class. There,upper() is indicated as a function. Yet I can on

Answer 1

You are creating an instance of that object and then calling help on that instance.

So these all work:

help(1)
help({})
help([])
help('')
help(dir)
help(help)

Help grabs the docstring for that instance, and gives it back to you. When you create your own objects, you can put in useful docstrings or whatever you want.