# Accessing Parent class

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/accessing-parent-class/140789>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [June 18, 2008, 3:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/accessing-parent-class/140789 "2008-06-18T15:40:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![basic](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/58956e/32.png) [@basic](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/basic)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 3:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/accessing-parent-class/140789/1 "2008-06-18T15:40:16Z")

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Okay I am a rails guys coming over to ruby, perhaps the wrong way  
around but hey.

I know this is a painfully simple question but I tried google but I dont  
really know what to search for.

is there any way for a sub class to access the instance infront of it?

totally stupid class

class Monster

BOO = ‘hoo’

attr\_accessor :roisin

def initialize  
@roisin = ‘rasp’  
end

class Verbal

```
def growl
  puts 'grrrrrrrr'
end

```

end

def speach  
Verbal.new.growl  
end

end

how can Verbal access the instance of Monster that created it?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![basic](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/58956e/32.png) [@basic](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/basic)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 5:25pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/accessing-parent-class/140789/2 "2008-06-18T17:25:04Z")

</div>

thanks 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![basic](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/58956e/32.png) [@basic](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/basic)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 4:19pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/accessing-parent-class/140789/3 "2008-06-18T16:19:53Z")

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Hi,

On Wed, Jun 18, 2008 at 9:39 AM, Phil Cooper-king  
[removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)  
wrote:

> class Monster

attr\_reader :monster  
def initialize(monster)  
@monster = monster  
end

> def growl  
> puts ‘grrrrrrrr’  
> end
> 
> end
> 
> def speach

```
   Verbal.new(self).growl

```

> end
> 
> end
> 
> how can Verbal access the instance of Monster that created it?

I altered your code above, this should do what you’re looking for.  
Basically, you just need to pass the instance of the Monster upon  
creation  
of the Verbal instance.

HTH,  
Michael G.