Why the output of this program is "parent"?

[Aakash Chandel]

class Parent {
    String message = "parent";
}

class Child extends Parent {
    String message = "child";
}

public class Test {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Parent yo = new Child();
        System.out.println(yo.message);
    }
}

Why the output of this program is "parent"? Shouldn't polymorphism apply and the output come as "child"?

Please guide.

[Astha Sharma]

It depends upon reference only that instance variable of which type will be accessed. Polymorphism doesn't work here. It works only on instance methods.

[naveen yadav]

Same behavior is also true for

1. hidden fields and methods
2. overloaded methods