test.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
class Document(object):
    pass
class Library(Document):
    pass
class LifeStage(Document):
    pass
class Diel(Document):
    pass
class Taxis(Document):
    pass
def copy_value(key, item=None):
    if isinstance(item, list) and len(item):
        n_list = [ copy_value(key, sub) for sub in item ]

    elif isinstance(item, dict):

        # check for a recognized key

        doc = dict()

        print 'key is %s' % key

        if key == "library":

            print 'found Library'

        elif key == "lifestages":
            print 'Lifestages'


        elif key == "diel":
            print 'diel'


        elif key == "taxis":
            print 'taxis'


        for skey in item.keys():

            doc[skey] = copy_value(skey, item[skey])



        if isinstance(doc, Document):
            print 'Document!?'

            # doc.save()



        return doc

if __name__ == '__main__':
    print 'hi'
    sample_json = '''{
  "results": [
    {
      "status": "private", 
      "_id": {
        "$oid": "50118ad9963cfb104d000005"
      }, 
      "name": "dfgh21", 
      "_keywords": [
        "dfgh", 
        "fdgh", 
        "dsfg", 
        "fgh", 
        "asdf", 
        "fgh", 
        "xcvb", 
        "qwer", 
        "dsfg", 
        "cvb"
      ], 
      "created": 1343322114503, 
      "geometry": "POLYGON ((-145.9049999999999727 40.9703904651301301, -148.7174999999999727 26.4199509113945510, -132.1940624999999727 21.6048715743020239, -128.6784374999999727 39.0861889844525123, -145.9049999999999727 40.9703904651301301))", 
      "geo_keywords": [
        "qwer", 
        "dsfg", 
        "cvb"
      ], 
      "keywords": [
        "asdf", 
        "fgh", 
        "xcvb"
      ], 
      "user": "[email protected]", 
      "common_name": "fgh", 
      "genus": "fdgh", 
      "species": "dsfg", 
      "lifestages": [
        {
          "vss": 234.0, 
          "name": "asdf", 
          "duration": 4356, 
          "diel": [
            {
              "plus_or_minus": "+", 
              "min": 345.0, 
              "max": 348.0, 
              "hours": 2345, 
              "time": null, 
              "_id": {
                "$oid": "50118ad9963cfb104d000000"
              }, 
              "type": "cycles", 
              "cycle": "sunrise"
            }, 
            {
              "plus_or_minus": "+", 
              "min": 345.0, 
              "max": 348.0, 
              "hours": 234, 
              "time": null, 
              "_id": {
                "$oid": "50118ad9963cfb104d000001"
              }, 
              "type": "cycles", 
              "cycle": "sunrise"
            }
          ], 
          "_collection": "libraries", 
          "_database": "fishreport_development", 
          "taxis": [
            {
              "min": 2345.0, 
              "gradient": 3456.0, 
              "max": 345.0, 
              "variable": "sea_water_temperature", 
              "units": "\u00b0C", 
              "_id": {
                "$oid": "50118ad9963cfb104d000002"
              }
            }, 
            {
              "min": 2342.0, 
              "gradient": 34343.0, 
              "max": 345234.0, 
              "variable": "sea_water_temperature", 
              "units": "\u00b0C", 
              "_id": {
                "$oid": "50118ad9963cfb104d000003"
              }
            }
          ], 
          "_id": {
            "$oid": "50118ad9963cfb104d000004"
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}'''

    import simplejson as json

    python_dict =  json.loads(sample_json)
    copy_value(None,python_dict)

Output:

(work)Lukes-ASA-Macbook:tmp luke$ python /tmp/test.py 
hi
key is None
key is results
key is _id
key is lifestages
Lifestages
key is diel
diel
key is _id
key is diel
diel
key is _id
key is taxis
taxis
key is _id
key is taxis
taxis
key is _id
key is _id