Final answer:
Dan Cody is Jay Gatsby's mentor in 'The Great Gatsby,' providing him with an education in wealth and lifestyle that shapes Gatsby's future persona.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dan Cody's relationship to Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby is that of a mentor. Cody is a wealthy copper magnate who meets Gatsby, then James Gatz, when Gatsby is a young man working as a fisherman and a clam digger on Lake Superior. Gatsby warns Cody about an impending storm, which impresses Cody. This event marks the beginning of their association, and Cody takes Gatsby under his wing for the next five years, shaping his worldview and introducing him to a life of wealth.
Gatsby adopts Cody's habits and mannerisms, which he later uses to create his own persona as Jay Gatsby. However, despite the significant influence he has on Gatsby's life, it should be noted that their relationship does not end well. After Cody's death, his mistress prevents Gatsby from inheriting a substantial sum of money that Dan Cody left to him.