Jay Gatsby's real name is James Gatz, he decided to change his name when he was 17 it was also the time that began his career. Dan Cody was a huge part of Gatsby's life. James Gatz had been walking along the beach in a "torn green jersey and a pair of canvas pants," but Jay Gatsby that interacted with Cody on that day. Dan Cody's yacht dropped anchor on the "insidious flat" on Lake Superior. When Gatsby saw this, he borrowed a rowboat, and pulled out to where Cody was on the water and warned him that the "wind might catch him and break him up in half an hour." Cody came from the Nevada silver fields, of the Yukon. The transactions in Montana copper made Cody a millionaire. Cody was softminded, and naive, and many young women took advantage of this. One woman in particular, Ella Kaye, a newspaper woman, took advantage of him. Over the next few years, Gatsby was steward, mate, skipper, secretary and even jailer for Dan Cody, and was very trusted by him. Through all of this, Dan Cody had an insatiable thirst for alcohol and drank continuously. Upon the return of Ella Kaye one night in Boston, Dan Cody "inhospitably died." Dan Cody influenced Gatsby in many ways; most importantly, watching Cody's excessive drinking, made Gatsby drink very little. A portrait of Cody hangs on Gatsby's wall.
Dan Cody left $25,000 to Jay. After Dan died he gave everything he had to his wife so the material inheritance was lost, but Gatsby had gained experience from this older man who had molded him into an eloquent gentleman and taught him to break free of his homely Middle Western existence.
East Egg is where Tom and Daisy live, the more wealthy place compared to the West Egg it is known as "old money". The East Egg is where the people who have always had money lived they are more snobby, selfish, and consumed with themselves. Tom, Daisy, and Jordan are all examples of this, they are materialistic and don't understand the value of having to earn their money. The east symbolizes fashionable life, "modern society, and sophisticated living where "anything can happen".
West Egg is where Gatsby moves too, it is known as "new money". Which symbolizes people who have just come into a large amount of money and want to show it off by buying extravagant houses or throwing massive parties. The people who live there are often hard working people who have worked to earn there money or who have just inherited a lot of money. Gatsby is an example of this he comes into a lot of money and shows it off by having elaborate parties all the time to show it off. 
