diff --git a/executable_semantics/ast/expression.cpp b/executable_semantics/ast/expression.cpp
index 9d791062434d..f643ee32e412 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/ast/expression.cpp
+++ b/executable_semantics/ast/expression.cpp
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ auto Expression::MakeFunType(int line_num, const Expression* param,
 auto Expression::MakeVar(int line_num, std::string var) -> const Expression* {
   auto* v = new Expression();
   v->line_num = line_num;
-  v->value = Variable({.name = new std::string(std::move(var))});
+  v->value = Variable({.name = std::move(var)});
   return v;
 }
 
@@ -104,8 +104,7 @@ auto Expression::MakeVarPat(int line_num, std::string var,
                             const Expression* type) -> const Expression* {
   auto* v = new Expression();
   v->line_num = line_num;
-  v->value =
-      PatternVariable({.name = new std::string(std::move(var)), .type = type});
+  v->value = PatternVariable({.name = std::move(var), .type = type});
   return v;
 }
 
@@ -163,8 +162,7 @@ auto Expression::MakeGetField(int line_num, const Expression* exp,
                               std::string field) -> const Expression* {
   auto* e = new Expression();
   e->line_num = line_num;
-  e->value = FieldAccess(
-      {.aggregate = exp, .field = new std::string(std::move(field))});
+  e->value = FieldAccess({.aggregate = exp, .field = std::move(field)});
   return e;
 }
 
@@ -262,7 +260,7 @@ void PrintExp(const Expression* e) {
     case ExpressionKind::GetField:
       PrintExp(e->GetFieldAccess().aggregate);
       std::cout << ".";
-      std::cout << *e->GetFieldAccess().field;
+      std::cout << e->GetFieldAccess().field;
       break;
     case ExpressionKind::Tuple:
       std::cout << "(";
@@ -299,12 +297,12 @@ void PrintExp(const Expression* e) {
       break;
     }
     case ExpressionKind::Variable:
-      std::cout << *e->GetVariable().name;
+      std::cout << e->GetVariable().name;
       break;
     case ExpressionKind::PatternVariable:
       PrintExp(e->GetPatternVariable().type);
       std::cout << ": ";
-      std::cout << *e->GetPatternVariable().name;
+      std::cout << e->GetPatternVariable().name;
       break;
     case ExpressionKind::Call:
       PrintExp(e->GetCall().function);
diff --git a/executable_semantics/ast/expression.h b/executable_semantics/ast/expression.h
index 3110148cf2e0..64835d88970a 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/ast/expression.h
+++ b/executable_semantics/ast/expression.h
@@ -57,13 +57,13 @@ struct Expression;
 
 struct Variable {
   static constexpr ExpressionKind Kind = ExpressionKind::Variable;
-  std::string* name;
+  std::string name;
 };
 
 struct FieldAccess {
   static constexpr ExpressionKind Kind = ExpressionKind::GetField;
   const Expression* aggregate;
-  std::string* field;
+  std::string field;
 };
 
 struct Index {
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ struct Index {
 
 struct PatternVariable {
   static constexpr ExpressionKind Kind = ExpressionKind::PatternVariable;
-  std::string* name;
+  std::string name;
   const Expression* type;
 };
 
diff --git a/executable_semantics/interpreter/interpreter.cpp b/executable_semantics/interpreter/interpreter.cpp
index 415cbea073a6..ed089716342d 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/interpreter/interpreter.cpp
+++ b/executable_semantics/interpreter/interpreter.cpp
@@ -624,10 +624,10 @@ void StepLvalue() {
       //    { {x :: C, E, F} :: S, H}
       // -> { {E(x) :: C, E, F} :: S, H}
       std::optional<Address> pointer =
-          CurrentEnv(state).Get(*(exp->GetVariable().name));
+          CurrentEnv(state).Get(exp->GetVariable().name);
       if (!pointer) {
         std::cerr << exp->line_num << ": could not find `"
-                  << *(exp->GetVariable().name) << "`" << std::endl;
+                  << exp->GetVariable().name << "`" << std::endl;
         exit(-1);
       }
       const Value* v = Value::MakePtrVal(*pointer);
@@ -721,10 +721,10 @@ void StepExp() {
     case ExpressionKind::Variable: {
       // { {x :: C, E, F} :: S, H} -> { {H(E(x)) :: C, E, F} :: S, H}
       std::optional<Address> pointer =
-          CurrentEnv(state).Get(*(exp->GetVariable().name));
+          CurrentEnv(state).Get(exp->GetVariable().name);
       if (!pointer) {
         std::cerr << exp->line_num << ": could not find `"
-                  << *(exp->GetVariable().name) << "`" << std::endl;
+                  << exp->GetVariable().name << "`" << std::endl;
         exit(-1);
       }
       const Value* pointee = state->heap.Read(*pointer, exp->line_num);
@@ -1082,7 +1082,7 @@ void HandleValue() {
           // -> { { &v.f :: C, E, F} :: S, H }
           const Value* str = act->results[0];
           Address a = GetMember(ValToPtr(str, exp->line_num),
-                                *exp->GetFieldAccess().field, exp->line_num);
+                                exp->GetFieldAccess().field, exp->line_num);
           frame->todo.Pop(2);
           frame->todo.Push(MakeValAct(Value::MakePtrVal(a)));
           break;
@@ -1135,7 +1135,7 @@ void HandleValue() {
       const Expression* exp = act->u.exp;
       switch (exp->tag()) {
         case ExpressionKind::PatternVariable: {
-          auto v = Value::MakeVarPatVal(*exp->GetPatternVariable().name,
+          auto v = Value::MakeVarPatVal(exp->GetPatternVariable().name,
                                         act->results[0]);
           frame->todo.Pop(2);
           frame->todo.Push(MakeValAct(v));
@@ -1194,7 +1194,7 @@ void HandleValue() {
           //    { { v :: [].f :: C, E, F} :: S, H}
           // -> { { v_f :: C, E, F} : S, H}
           auto a = GetMember(ValToPtr(act->results[0], exp->line_num),
-                             *exp->GetFieldAccess().field, exp->line_num);
+                             exp->GetFieldAccess().field, exp->line_num);
           const Value* element = state->heap.Read(a, exp->line_num);
           frame->todo.Pop(2);
           frame->todo.Push(MakeValAct(element));
diff --git a/executable_semantics/interpreter/typecheck.cpp b/executable_semantics/interpreter/typecheck.cpp
index 02db00fdd97c..57adb7d8331d 100644
--- a/executable_semantics/interpreter/typecheck.cpp
+++ b/executable_semantics/interpreter/typecheck.cpp
@@ -157,10 +157,9 @@ auto TypeCheckExp(const Expression* e, TypeEnv types, Env values,
       } else if (expected) {
         ExpectType(e->line_num, "pattern variable", t, expected);
       }
-      auto new_e =
-          Expression::MakeVarPat(e->line_num, *e->GetPatternVariable().name,
-                                 ReifyType(t, e->line_num));
-      types.Set(*e->GetPatternVariable().name, t);
+      auto new_e = Expression::MakeVarPat(
+          e->line_num, e->GetPatternVariable().name, ReifyType(t, e->line_num));
+      types.Set(e->GetPatternVariable().name, t);
       return TCResult(new_e, t, types);
     }
     case ExpressionKind::Index: {
@@ -241,30 +240,30 @@ auto TypeCheckExp(const Expression* e, TypeEnv types, Env values,
         case ValKind::StructTV:
           // Search for a field
           for (auto& field : *t->GetStructType().fields) {
-            if (*e->GetFieldAccess().field == field.first) {
+            if (e->GetFieldAccess().field == field.first) {
               const Expression* new_e = Expression::MakeGetField(
-                  e->line_num, res.exp, *e->GetFieldAccess().field);
+                  e->line_num, res.exp, e->GetFieldAccess().field);
               return TCResult(new_e, field.second, res.types);
             }
           }
           // Search for a method
           for (auto& method : *t->GetStructType().methods) {
-            if (*e->GetFieldAccess().field == method.first) {
+            if (e->GetFieldAccess().field == method.first) {
               const Expression* new_e = Expression::MakeGetField(
-                  e->line_num, res.exp, *e->GetFieldAccess().field);
+                  e->line_num, res.exp, e->GetFieldAccess().field);
               return TCResult(new_e, method.second, res.types);
             }
           }
           std::cerr << e->line_num << ": compilation error, struct "
                     << *t->GetStructType().name
                     << " does not have a field named "
-                    << *e->GetFieldAccess().field << std::endl;
+                    << e->GetFieldAccess().field << std::endl;
           exit(-1);
         case ValKind::TupleV:
           for (const TupleElement& field : *t->GetTuple().elements) {
-            if (*e->GetFieldAccess().field == field.name) {
+            if (e->GetFieldAccess().field == field.name) {
               auto new_e = Expression::MakeGetField(e->line_num, res.exp,
-                                                    *e->GetFieldAccess().field);
+                                                    e->GetFieldAccess().field);
               return TCResult(new_e,
                               state->heap.Read(field.address, e->line_num),
                               res.types);
@@ -273,14 +272,14 @@ auto TypeCheckExp(const Expression* e, TypeEnv types, Env values,
           std::cerr << e->line_num << ": compilation error, struct "
                     << *t->GetStructType().name
                     << " does not have a field named "
-                    << *e->GetFieldAccess().field << std::endl;
+                    << e->GetFieldAccess().field << std::endl;
           exit(-1);
         case ValKind::ChoiceTV:
           for (auto vt = t->GetChoiceType().alternatives->begin();
                vt != t->GetChoiceType().alternatives->end(); ++vt) {
-            if (*e->GetFieldAccess().field == vt->first) {
+            if (e->GetFieldAccess().field == vt->first) {
               const Expression* new_e = Expression::MakeGetField(
-                  e->line_num, res.exp, *e->GetFieldAccess().field);
+                  e->line_num, res.exp, e->GetFieldAccess().field);
               auto fun_ty = Value::MakeFunTypeVal(vt->second, t);
               return TCResult(new_e, fun_ty, res.types);
             }
@@ -288,7 +287,7 @@ auto TypeCheckExp(const Expression* e, TypeEnv types, Env values,
           std::cerr << e->line_num << ": compilation error, struct "
                     << *t->GetStructType().name
                     << " does not have a field named "
-                    << *e->GetFieldAccess().field << std::endl;
+                    << e->GetFieldAccess().field << std::endl;
           exit(-1);
 
         default:
@@ -301,12 +300,12 @@ auto TypeCheckExp(const Expression* e, TypeEnv types, Env values,
       }
     }
     case ExpressionKind::Variable: {
-      std::optional<const Value*> type = types.Get(*(e->GetVariable().name));
+      std::optional<const Value*> type = types.Get(e->GetVariable().name);
       if (type) {
         return TCResult(e, *type, types);
       } else {
         std::cerr << e->line_num << ": could not find `"
-                  << *(e->GetVariable().name) << "`" << std::endl;
+                  << e->GetVariable().name << "`" << std::endl;
         exit(-1);
       }
     }