Abstract: Most previous studies on Lolita attribute Humbert's tragic ending to his lack of reason. However， his binary opposition， deemed as a representation of reason， is the leading cause of his tragic ending that cannot be underestimated. Humbert's binary knowledge of himself has led to his psychological disorder and conflicting self-recognition. His binary knowledge of the world， which does not cover the grey zone of different categories， not only gives birth to the cognitive biases but also undermines the objects being evaluated. In fact， emotional cognition compensates for the limitations of rigid reason and represents the narrative artistry of the novel.

Key words: Lolita; Vladimir Nabokov; binary opposition; emotional cognition