question about getattr()

[ryfoa6]

This may sound like an unimportant question but finding patterns in Python is what helps me memorize syntax.
Why are the attributes in quotes e.g. 'age'? Am I going to have to remember when to use quotes around variables and when not to? Or is there a pattern that can help me remember?

class Person:
    name = "John"
    age = 36
    country = "Norway"

x = getattr(Person, 'age')